Setting ad breakpoints in a video within a messaging system

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the present disclosure involve a system comprising a computer-readable storage medium storing a program and method for setting ad breakpoints in a video. The program and method provide for accessing a video; determining plural shot boundaries for the video, each shot boundary defining a shot corresponding to a contiguous sequence of video frames that is free of cuts or transitions; and for each shot boundary of the plural shot boundaries, performing a set of breakpoint tests on the shot boundary, each breakpoint test configured to return a respective score indicating whether the shot boundary corresponds to a breakpoint for potential insertion of an ad during playback of the video, calculating a combined score for the shot boundary based on combining the each of the respective scores, and setting, in a case where the combined score meets a threshold value, the shot boundary as the breakpoint.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 63/085,446, filed Sep. 30, 2020, entitled “SETTING ADBREAKPOINTS IN A VIDEO WITHIN A MESSAGING SYSTEM”, which is incorporatedby reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to a messaging system,including inserting ads into a video within a messaging system.

BACKGROUND

Messaging systems provide for the exchange of message content betweenusers. A messaging system may allow a user to view a video provided byanother user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numeralsmay describe similar components in different views. To easily identifythe discussion of any particular element or act, the most significantdigit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number inwhich that element is first introduced. Some nonlimiting examples areillustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a networked environment inwhich the present disclosure may be deployed, in accordance with someexamples.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a messaging system, inaccordance with some examples, that has both client-side and server-sidefunctionality.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a data structure asmaintained in a database, in accordance with some examples.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a message, in accordance withsome examples.

FIG. 5 is an interaction diagram illustrating a process for insertingads into a video within a messaging system, in accordance with someexample embodiments.

FIG. 6 is flowchart illustrating a process for inserting ads into avideo based on client-side rules, in accordance with some exampleembodiments.

FIG. 7 is flowchart illustrating a process for setting eligiblebreakpoints for a video, in accordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 8A illustrates an example of a video with plural media contentitems, in accordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 8B illustrates an example of setting eligible and prioritybreakpoints for a video, in accordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 9A illustrates an example of setting media content items assensitive, in accordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 9B illustrates an example of adjusting breakpoints for a videohaving media content items set to sensitive, in accordance with someexample embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process for setting breakpoints ina video, in accordance with some example embodiments.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart for an access-limiting process, in accordancewith some examples.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the form of acomputer system within which a set of instructions may be executed forcausing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologiesdiscussed herein, in accordance with some examples.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing a software architecture within whichexamples may be implemented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A messaging system typically allows users to exchange content items(e.g., messages, images and/or video) with one another in a messagethread. A messaging system may provide for inserting ads into a videoduring playback of the video.

The disclosed embodiments provide for a publisher to create a video forsharing with one or more viewing users (e.g., subscribers). The video isanalyzed to determine multiple shot boundaries, and some of the shotboundaries may be selected as breakpoints for potential insertion of adsduring playback of the video. The breakpoints may be selected based on aset of breakpoint tests (e.g., video fade-out, audio fade-out,transcript gaps, color differences, audio frequency differences,background audio characteristics, on-screen text, facial scans test,and/or machine learning). The publisher may also select to prioritizebreakpoints for potential ad insertion.

When a breakpoint is reached during playback of the video on a clientdevice, an ad may be selected and served to the client device. Forexample, server-side logic may provide for filtering ads with certaintypes of sensitive content based on similar or related types ofsensitive content within the video. The client device receives an adselected by the server based on the filtering, and determines whether toinsert the ad at the breakpoint based on client-side rules. Theclient-side rules may prioritize inserting ads at prioritizedbreakpoints. In addition, the client-side rules may include timingrequirements, such as a minimum amount of playback time and/or a minimumnumber of media content items that have played since the last ad (e.g.,or since starting playback). Moreover, the client-side rules may providefurther filtering of ads, to disallow or otherwise reduce the likelihoodof inserting an ad with certain type(s) of content in between videocontent that is similar or otherwise related.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example messaging system 100 forexchanging data (e.g., messages and associated content) over a network.The messaging system 100 includes multiple instances of a client device102, each of which hosts a number of applications, including a messagingclient 104 and other applications 106. Each messaging client 104 iscommunicatively coupled to other instances of the messaging client 104(e.g., hosted on respective other client devices 102), a messagingserver system 108 and third-party servers 110 via a network 112 (e.g.,the Internet). A messaging client 104 can also communicate withlocally-hosted applications 106 using Applications Program Interfaces(APIs).

A messaging client 104 is able to communicate and exchange data withother messaging clients 104 and with the messaging server system 108 viathe network 112. The data exchanged between messaging clients 104, andbetween a messaging client 104 and the messaging server system 108,includes functions (e.g., commands to invoke functions) as well aspayload data (e.g., text, audio, video or other multimedia data).

The messaging server system 108 provides server-side functionality viathe network 112 to a particular messaging client 104. While certainfunctions of the messaging system 100 are described herein as beingperformed by either a messaging client 104 or by the messaging serversystem 108, the location of certain functionality either within themessaging client 104 or the messaging server system 108 may be a designchoice. For example, it may be technically preferable to initiallydeploy certain technology and functionality within the messaging serversystem 108 but to later migrate this technology and functionality to themessaging client 104 where a client device 102 has sufficient processingcapacity.

The messaging server system 108 supports various services and operationsthat are provided to the messaging client 104. Such operations includetransmitting data to, receiving data from, and processing data generatedby the messaging client 104. This data may include message content,client device information, geolocation information, media augmentationand overlays, message content persistence conditions, social networkinformation, and live event information, as examples. Data exchangeswithin the messaging system 100 are invoked and controlled throughfunctions available via user interfaces (UIs) of the messaging client104.

Turning now specifically to the messaging server system 108, anApplication Program interface (API) server 116 is coupled to, andprovides a programmatic interface to, application servers 114. Theapplication servers 114 are communicatively coupled to a database server120, which facilitates access to a database 126 that stores dataassociated with messages processed by the application servers 114.Similarly, a web server 128 is coupled to the application servers 114,and provides web-based interfaces to the application servers 114. Tothis end, the web server 128 processes incoming network requests overthe Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and several other relatedprotocols.

The Application Program Interface (API) server 116 receives andtransmits message data (e,g., commands and message payloads) between theclient device 102 and the application servers 114. Specifically, theApplication Program Interface (API) server 116 provides a set ofinterfaces (e.g., routines and protocols) that can be called or queriedby the messaging client 104 in order to invoke functionality of theapplication servers 114. The Application Program Interface (API) server116 exposes various functions supported by the application servers 114,including account registration, login functionality, the sending ofmessages, via the application servers 114, from a particular messagingclient 104 to another messaging client 104, the sending of media files(e.g., images or video) from a messaging client 104 to a messagingserver 118, and for possible access by another messaging client 104, thesettings of a collection of media data (e.g., story), the retrieval of alist of friends of a user of a client device 102, the retrieval of suchcollections, the retrieval of messages and content, the addition anddeletion of entities (e.g., friends) to an entity graph (e,g., a socialgraph), the location of friends within a social graph, and opening anapplication event (e.g., relating to the messaging client 104).

The application servers 114 host a number of server applications andsubsystems, including for example a messaging server 118, an imageprocessing server 122, and a social network server 124. The messagingserver 118 implements a number of message processing technologies andfunctions, particularly related to the aggregation and other processingof content (e.g., textual and multimedia content) included in messagesreceived from multiple instances of the messaging client 104. As will bedescribed in further detail, the text and media content from multiplesources may be aggregated into collections of content (e.g., calledstories or galleries). These collections are then made available to themessaging client 104. Other processor and memory intensive processing ofdata may also be performed server-side by the messaging server 118, inview of the hardware requirements for such processing.

The application servers 114 also include an image processing server 122that is dedicated to performing various image processing operations,typically with respect to images or video within the payload of amessage sent from or received at the messaging server 118.

The social network server 124 supports various social networkingfunctions and services and makes these functions and services availableto the messaging server 118. To this end, the social network server 124maintains and accesses an entity graph 304 (as shown in FIG. 3 ) withinthe database 126. Examples of functions and services supported by thesocial network server 124 include the identification of other users ofthe messaging system 100 with which a particular user has relationshipsor is “following,” and also the identification of other entities andinterests of a particular user.

Returning to the messaging client 104, features and functions of anexternal resource (e.g., an application 106 or applet) are madeavailable to a user via an interface of the messaging client 104, Inthis context. “external” refers to the fact that the application 106 orapplet is external to the messaging client 104. The external resource isoften provided by a third party but may also be provided by the creatoror provider of the messaging client 104. The messaging client 104receives a user selection of an option to launch or access features ofsuch an external resource. The external resource may be the application106 installed on the client device 102 (e.g., a “native app”), or asmall-scale version of the application (e.g., an “applet”) that ishosted on the client device 102 or remote of the client device 102(e.g., on third-party servers 110). The small-scale version of theapplication includes a subset of features and functions of theapplication (e.g., the full-scale, native version of the application)and is implemented using a markup-language document. In one example, thesmall-scale version of the application (e.g., an “applet”) is aweb-based, markup-language version of the application and is embedded inthe messaging client 104. In addition to using markup-language documents(e.g., a .*ml file), an applet may incorporate a scripting language(e.g., a .*js file or a son file) and a style sheet (e.g., a .*ss file).

In response to receiving a user selection of the option to launch oraccess features of the external resource, the messaging client 104determines whether the selected external resource is a web-basedexternal resource or a locally-installed application 106. In some cases,applications 106 that are locally installed on the client device 102 canbe launched independently of and separately from the messaging client104, such as by selecting an icon, corresponding to the application 106,on a home screen of the client device 102. Small-scale versions of suchapplications can be launched or accessed via the messaging client 104and, in some examples, no or limited portions of the small-scaleapplication can be accessed outside of the messaging client 104. Thesmall-scale application can be launched by the messaging client 104receiving, from a third-party server 110 for example, a markup-languagedocument associated with the small-scale application and processing sucha document.

In response to determining that the external resource is alocally-installed application 106, the messaging client 104 instructsthe client device 102 to launch the external resource by executinglocally-stored code corresponding to the external resource. In responseto determining that the external resource is a web-based resource, themessaging client 104 communicates with the third-party servers 110 (forexample) to obtain a markup-language document corresponding to theselected external resource. The messaging client 104 then processes theobtained markup-language document to present the web-based externalresource within a user interface of the messaging client 104.

The messaging client 104 can notify a user of the client device 102, orother users related to such a user (e.g., “friends”), of activity takingplace in one or more external resources. For example, the messagingclient 104 can provide participants in a conversation (e.g., a chatsession) in the messaging client 104 with notifications relating to thecurrent or recent use of an external resource by one or more members ofa group of users. One or more users can be invited to join in an activeexternal resource or to launch a recently-used but currently inactive(in the group of friends) external resource. The external resource canprovide participants in a conversation, each using respective messagingclients 104, with the ability to share an item, status, state, orlocation in an external resource with one or more members of a group ofusers into a chat session. The shared item may be an interactive chatcard with which members of the chat can interact, for example, to launchthe corresponding external resource, view specific information withinthe external resource, or take the member of the chat to a specificlocation or state within the external resource. Within a given externalresource, response messages can be sent to users on the messaging client104. The external resource can selectively include different media itemsin the responses, based on a current context of the external resource.

The messaging client 104 can present a list of the available externalresources (e.g., applications 106 or applets) to a user to launch oraccess a given external resource. This list can be presented in acontext-sensitive menu. For example, the icons representing differentones of the application 106 (or applets) can vary based on how the menuis launched by the user (e.g., from a conversation interface or from anon-conversation interface).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating further details regarding themessaging system 100, according to some examples. Specifically, themessaging system 100 is shown to comprise the messaging client 104 andthe application servers 114. The messaging system 100 embodies a numberof subsystems, which are supported on the client-side by the messagingclient 104 and on the sever-side by the application servers 114. Thesesubsystems include, for example, an ephemeral timer system 202, acollection management system 204, an augmentation system 208, a mapsystem 210, an external resource system 212, and an ad serving system214.

The ephemeral timer system 202 is responsible for enforcing thetemporary or time-limited access to content by the messaging client 104and the messaging server 118. The ephemeral timer system 202incorporates a number of timers that, based on duration and displayparameters associated with a message, or collection of messages (e.g., astory), selectively enable access (e.g., for presentation and display)to messages and associated content via the messaging client 104. Furtherdetails regarding the operation of the ephemeral timer system 202 areprovided below.

The collection management system 204 is responsible for managing sets orcollections of media (e.g., collections of text, image, video, and audiodata). A collection of content (e.g., messages, including images, video,text, and audio) may be organized into an “event gallery” or an “eventstory.” Such a collection may be made available for a specified timeperiod, such as the duration of an event to which the content relates.For example, content relating to a music concert may be made availableas a “story” for the duration of that music concert. The collectionmanagement system 204 may also be responsible for publishing an iconthat provides notification of the existence of a particular collectionto the user interface of the messaging client 104.

The collection management system 204 furthermore includes a curationinterface 206 that allows a collection manager to manage and curate aparticular collection of content. For example, the curation interface206 enables an event organizer to curate a collection of contentrelating to a specific event (e.g., delete inappropriate content orredundant messages). Additionally, the collection management system 204employs machine vision (or image recognition technology) and contentrules to automatically curate a content collection. In certain examples,compensation may be paid to a user for the inclusion of user-generatedcontent into a collection. In such cases, the collection managementsystem 204 operates to automatically make payments to such users for theuse of their content.

The augmentation system 208 provides various functions that enable auser to augment (e.g., annotate or otherwise modify or edit) mediacontent associated with a message. For example, the augmentation system208 provides functions related to the generation and publishing of mediaoverlays for messages processed by the messaging system 100. Theaugmentation system 208 operatively supplies a media overlay oraugmentation (e.g., an image filter) to the messaging client 104 basedon a geolocation of the client device 102. In another example, theaugmentation system 208 operatively supplies a media overlay to themessaging client 104 based on other information, such as social networkinformation of the user of the client device 102. A media overlay mayinclude audio and visual content and visual effects. Examples of audioand visual content include pictures, texts, logos, animations, and soundeffects. An example of a visual effect includes color overlaying. Theaudio and visual content or the visual effects can be applied to a mediacontent item (e.g., a photo) at the client device 102. For example, themedia overlay may include text or image that can be overlaid on top of aphotograph taken by the client device 102. In another example, the mediaoverlay includes an identification of a location overlay (e,g., Venicebeach), a name of a live event, or a name of a merchant overlay (e.g.,Beach Coffee House). In another example, the augmentation system 208uses the geolocation of the client device 102 to identify a mediaoverlay that includes the name of a merchant at the geolocation of theclient device 102. The media overlay may include other indiciaassociated with the merchant. The media overlays may be stored in thedatabase 126 and accessed through the database server 120.

In some examples, the augmentation system 208 provides a user-basedpublication platform that enables users to select a geolocation on a mapand upload content associated with the selected geolocation. The usermay also specify circumstances under which a particular media overlayshould be offered to other users. The augmentation system 208 generatesa media overlay that includes the uploaded content and associates theuploaded content with the selected geolocation.

In other examples, the augmentation system 208 provides a merchant-basedpublication platform that enables merchants to select a particular mediaoverlay associated with a geolocation via a bidding process. Forexample, the augmentation system 208 associates the media overlay of thehighest bidding merchant with a corresponding geolocation for apredefined amount of time.

In other examples, as discussed below with respect to FIG. 3 , theaugmentation system 208 provides for presenting augmented realitycontent in association with an image or a video captured by a camera ofthe client device 102. The augmentation system 208 may implement orotherwise access augmented reality content items (e.g., corresponding toapplying Lenses or augmented reality experiences) for providingreal-time special effect(s) and/or sound(s) that may be added to theimage or video. To facilitate the presentation of augmented realitycontent, the augmentation system 208 may implement or otherwise accessobject recognition algorithms (e.g., including machine learningalgorithms) configured to scan an image or video, and to detect/trackthe movement of objects within the image or video.

The map system 210 provides various geographic location functions, andsupports the presentation of map-based media content and messages by themessaging client 104. For example, the map system 210 enables thedisplay of user icons or avatars (e.g., stored in profile data 302) on amap to indicate a current or past location of “friends” of a user, aswell as media content (e.g., collections of messages includingphotographs and videos) generated by such friends, within the context ofa map. For example, a message posted by a user to the messaging system100 from a specific geographic location may be displayed within thecontext of a map at that particular location to “friends” of a specificuser on a map interface of the messaging client 104. A user canfurthermore share his or her location and status information (e.g.,using an appropriate status avatar) with other users of the messagingsystem 100 via the messaging client 104, with this location and statusinformation being similarly displayed within the context of a mapinterface of the messaging client 104 to selected users.

The external resource system 212 provides an interface for the messagingclient 104 to communicate with remote servers (e.g. third-party servers110) to launch or access external resources, i.e. applications orapplets. Each third-party server 110 hosts, for example, a markuplanguage (e.g., HTML5) based application or small-scale version of anapplication (e.g., game, utility, payment, or ride-sharing application).The messaging client 104 may launches a web-based resource (e.g.,application) by accessing the HTML5 file from the third-party servers110 associated with the web-based resource. In certain examples,applications hosted by third-party servers 110 are programmed inJavaScript leveraging a Software Development Kit (SDK) provided by themessaging server 118, The SDK includes Application ProgrammingInterfaces (APIs) with functions that can be called or invoked by theweb-based application. In certain examples, the messaging server 118includes a JavaScript library that provides a given external resourceaccess to certain user data of the messaging client 104. HTML5 is usedas an example technology for programming games, but applications andresources programmed based on other technologies can be used.

In order to integrate the functions of the SDK into the web-basedresource, the SDK is downloaded by a third-party server 110 from themessaging server 118 or is otherwise received by the third-party server110. Once downloaded or received, the SDK is included as part of theapplication code of a web-based external resource. The code of theweb-based resource can then call or invoke certain functions of the SDKto integrate features of the messaging client 104 into the web-basedresource.

The SDK stored on the messaging server 118 effectively provides thebridge between an external resource (e.g., applications 106 or appletsand the messaging client 104. This provides the user with a seamlessexperience of communicating with other users on the messaging client104, while also preserving the look and feel of the messaging client104. To bridge communications between an external resource and amessaging client 104, in certain examples, the SDK facilitatescommunication between third-party servers 110 and the messaging client104. In certain examples, a WebViewJavaScriptBridge running on a clientdevice 102 establishes two one-way communication channels between anexternal resource and the messaging client 104. Messages are sentbetween the external resource and the messaging client 104 via thesecommunication channels asynchronously. Each SDK function invocation issent as a message and callback. Each SDK function is implemented byconstructing a unique callback identifier and sending a message withthat callback identifier.

By using the SDK, not all information from the messaging client 104 isshared with third-party servers 110. The SDK limits which information isshared based on the needs of the external resource. In certain examples,each third-party server 110 provides an HTML5 file corresponding to theweb-based external resource to the messaging server 118. The messagingserver 118 can add a visual representation (such as a box art or othergraphic) of the web-based external resource in the messaging client 104.Once the user selects the visual representation or instructs themessaging client 104 through a GUI of the messaging client 104 to accessfeatures of the web-based external resource, the messaging client 104obtains the HTML5 file and instantiates the resources necessary toaccess the features of the web-based external resource.

The messaging client 104 presents a graphical user interface (e.g., alanding page or title screen) for an external resource. During, before,or after presenting the landing page or title screen, the messagingclient 104 determines whether the launched external resource has beenpreviously authorized to access user data of the messaging client 104.In response to determining that the launched external resource has beenpreviously authorized to access user data of the messaging client 104,the messaging client 104 presents another graphical user interface ofthe external resource that includes functions and features of theexternal resource. In response to determining that the launched externalresource has not been previously authorized to access user data of themessaging client 104, after a threshold period of time (e.g., 3 seconds)of displaying the landing page or title screen of the external resource,the messaging client 104 slides up (e.g., animates a menu as surfacingfrom a bottom of the screen to a middle of or other portion of thescreen) a menu for authorizing the external resource to access the userdata. The menu identifies the type of user data that the externalresource will be authorized to use. In response to receiving a userselection of an accept option, the messaging client 104 adds theexternal resource to a list of authorized external resources and allowsthe external resource to access user data from the messaging client 104.In some examples, the external resource is authorized by the messagingclient 104 to access the user data in accordance with an OAuth 2framework.

The messaging client 104 controls the type of user data that is sharedwith external resources based on the type of external resource beingauthorized. For example, external resources that include full-scaleapplications (e.g., an application 106) are provided with access to afirst type of user data (e.g., only two-dimensional avatars of userswith or without different avatar characteristics). As another example,external resources that include small-scale versions of applications(e.g., web-based versions of applications) are provided with access to asecond type of user data (e.g., payment information, two-dimensionalavatars of users, three-dimensional avatars of users, and avatars withvarious avatar characteristics). Avatar characteristics includedifferent ways to customize a look and feel of an avatar, such asdifferent poses, facial features, clothing, and so forth.

The ad serving system 214 provides various ad serving and managementrelated functions within the context of the messaging system 100. In oneor more embodiments, the ad serving system 214 stores advertisingcontent (e.g., ads) used in online marketing, and delivers the ads tothe messaging client 104. Thus, the ad serving system 214 is configuredto store the ads, and to distribute the ads for potential insertion intoavailable ad slots. For example, the ad serving system 214 may servevideo ads for inserting into breakpoints (e.g., ad slots) of a videoplaying on the messaging client 104. Moreover, the ad serving system 214implements or otherwise accesses algorithm(s) to select which ads areserved, count ads that are served, and/or monitor the progress ofdifferent advertising campaigns (e.g., by counting/tracking ads on aper-campaign basis). The ad serving system 214 is further configured tocount clicks/impressions with respect to ads, in order to generatereports for visualizing the effectiveness of ads or ad campaigns.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating data structures 300, whichmay be stored in the database 126 of the messaging server system 108,according to certain examples. While the content of the database 126 isshown to comprise a number of tables, it will be appreciated that thedata could be stored in other types of data structures (e.g., as anobject-oriented database).

The database 126 includes message data stored within a message table306. This message data includes, for any particular one message, atleast message sender data, message recipient (or receiver) data, and apayload. Further details regarding information that may be included in amessage, and included within the message data stored in the messagetable 306 is described below with reference to FIG. 4 .

An entity table 308 stores entity data, and is linked (e.g.,referentially) to an entity graph 304 and profile data 302. Entities forwhich records are maintained within the entity table 308 may includeindividuals, corporate entities, organizations, objects, places, events,and so forth. Regardless of entity type, any entity regarding which themessaging server system 108 stores data may be a recognized entity. Eachentity is provided with a unique identifier, as well as an entity typeidentifier (not shown).

The entity graph 304 stores information regarding relationships andassociations between entities. Such relationships may be social,professional (e.g., work at a common corporation or organization)interested-based or activity-based, merely for example.

The profile data 302 stores multiple types of profile data about aparticular entity. The profile data 302 may be selectively used andpresented to other users of the messaging system 100, based on privacysettings specified by a particular entity. Where the entity is anindividual, the profile data 302 includes, for example, a user name,telephone number, address, settings (e.g., notification and privacysettings), as well as a user-selected avatar representation (orcollection of such avatar representations). A particular user may thenselectively include one or more of these avatar representations withinthe content of messages communicated via the messaging system 100, andon map interfaces displayed by messaging clients 104 to other users. Thecollection of avatar representations may include “status avatars,” whichpresent a graphical representation of a status or activity that the usermay select to communicate at a particular time.

Where the entity is a group, the profile data 302 for the group maysimilarly include one or more avatar representations associated with thegroup, in addition to the group name, members, and various settings(e.g., notifications) for the relevant group.

The database 126 also stores augmentation data, such as overlays orfilters, in an augmentation table 310. The augmentation data isassociated with and applied to videos (for which data is stored in avideo table 316) and images (for which data is stored in an image table318).

Filters, in one example, are overlays that are displayed as overlaid onan image or video during presentation to a recipient user. Filters maybe of various types, including user-selected filters from a set offilters presented to a sending user by the messaging client 104 when thesending user is composing a message. Other types of filters includegeolocation filters (also known as geo-filters), which may be presentedto a sending user based on geographic location. For example, geolocationfilters specific to a neighborhood or special location may be presentedwithin a user interface by the messaging client 104, based ongeolocation information determined by a Global Positioning System (GPS)unit of the client device 102.

Another type of filter is a data filter, which may be selectivelypresented to a sending user by the messaging client 104, based on otherinputs or information gathered by the client device 102 during themessage creation process. Examples of data filters include currenttemperature at a specific location, a current speed at which a sendinguser is traveling, battery life for a client device 102, or the currenttime.

Other augmentation data that may be stored within the image table 318includes augmented reality content items (e.g., corresponding toapplying Lenses or augmented reality experiences). An augmented realitycontent item may provide a real-time special effect and/or sound thatmay be added to an image or a video.

As described above, augmentation data includes augmented reality contentitems, overlays, image transformations, AR images, and similar termsrefer to modifications that may be applied to image data (e.g., videosor images). This includes real-time modifications, which modify an imageas it is captured using device sensors (e.g., one or multiple cameras)of a client device 102 and then displayed on a screen of the clientdevice 102 with the modifications. This also includes modifications tostored content, such as video clips in a gallery that may be modified.For example, in a client device 102 with access to multiple augmentedreality content items, a user can use a single video clip with multipleaugmented reality content items to see how the different augmentedreality content items will modify the stored clip. For example, multipleaugmented reality content items that apply different pseudorandommovement models can be applied to the same content by selectingdifferent augmented reality content items for the content. Similarly,real-time video capture may be used with an illustrated modification toshow how video images currently being captured by sensors of a clientdevice 102 would modify the captured data. Such data may simply bedisplayed on the screen and not stored in memory, or the contentcaptured by the device sensors may be recorded and stored in memory withor without the modifications (or both). In some systems, a previewfeature can show how different augmented reality content items will lookwithin different windows in a display at the same time. This can, forexample, enable multiple windows with different pseudorandom animationsto be viewed on a display at the same time.

Data and various systems using augmented reality content items or othersuch transform systems to modify content using this data can thusinvolve detection of objects (e.g., faces, hands, bodies, cats, dogs,surfaces, objects, etc.), tracking of such objects as they leave, enter,and move around the field of view in video frames, and the modificationor transformation of such objects as they are tracked. In variousexamples, different methods for achieving such transformations may beused. Some examples may involve generating a three-dimensional meshmodel of the object or objects, and using transformations and animatedtextures of the model within the video to achieve the transformation. Inother examples, tracking of points on an object may be used to place animage or texture (which may be two dimensional or three dimensional) atthe tracked position. In still further examples, neural network analysisof video frames may be used to place images, models, or textures incontent (e.g., images or frames of video). Augmented reality contentitems thus refer both to the images, models, and textures used to createtransformations in content, as well as to additional modeling andanalysis information needed to achieve such transformations with objectdetection, tracking, and placement.

Real-time video processing can be performed with any kind of video data(e.g., video streams, video files, etc.) saved in a memory of acomputerized system of any kind. For example, a user can load videofiles and save them in a memory of a device, or can generate a videostream using sensors of the device. Additionally, any objects can beprocessed using a computer animation model, such as a human's face andparts of a human body, animals, or non-living things such as chairs,cars, or other objects.

In some examples, when a particular modification is selected along withcontent to be transformed, elements to be transformed are identified bythe computing device, and then detected and tracked if they are presentin the frames of the video. The elements of the object are modifiedaccording to the request for modification, thus transforming the framesof the video stream. Transformation of frames of a video stream can beperformed by different methods for different kinds of transformation.For example, for transformations of frames mostly referring to changingforms of object's elements characteristic points for each element of anobject are calculated (e.g., using an Active Shape Model (ASM) or otherknown methods). Then, a mesh based on the characteristic points isgenerated for each of the at least one element of the object. This meshused in the following stage of tracking the elements of the object inthe video stream. In the process of tracking, the mentioned mesh foreach element is aligned with a position of each element. Then,additional points are generated on the mesh. A first set of first pointsis generated for each element based on a request for modification, and aset of second points is generated for each element based on the set offirst points and the request for modification. Then, the frames of thevideo stream can be transformed by modifying the elements of the objecton the basis of the sets of first and second points and the mesh. Insuch method, a background of the modified object can be changed ordistorted as well by tracking and modifying the background.

In some examples, transformations changing some areas of an object usingits elements can be performed by calculating characteristic points foreach element of an object and generating a mesh based on the calculatedcharacteristic points. Points are generated on the mesh, and thenvarious areas based on the points are generated. The elements of theobject are then tracked by aligning the area for each element with aposition for each of the at least one element, and properties of theareas can be modified based on the request for modification, thustransforming the frames of the video stream. Depending on the specificrequest for modification properties of the mentioned areas can betransformed in different ways. Such modifications may involve changingcolor of areas; removing at least some part of areas from the frames ofthe video stream; including one or more new objects into areas which arebased on a request for modification; and modifying or distorting theelements of an area or object. In various examples, any combination ofsuch modifications or other similar modifications may be used. Forcertain models to be animated, some characteristic points can beselected as control points to be used in determining the entirestate-space of options for the model animation.

In some examples of a computer animation model to transform image datausing face detection, the face is detected on an image with use of aspecific face detection algorithm (e.g., Viola-Jones). Then, an ActiveShape Model (ASM) algorithm is applied to the face region of an image todetect facial feature reference points.

Other methods and algorithms suitable for face detection can be used.For example, in some examples, features are located using a landmark,which represents a distinguishable point present in most of the imagesunder consideration. For facial landmarks, for example, the location ofthe left eye pupil may be used. If an initial landmark is notidentifiable (e.g., if a person has an eyepatch), secondary landmarksmay be used. Such landmark identification procedures may be used for anysuch objects. In some examples, a set of landmarks forms a shape. Shapescan be represented as vectors using the coordinates of the points in theshape. One shape is aligned to another with a similarity transform(allowing translation, scaling, and rotation) that minimizes the averageEuclidean distance between shape points. The mean shape is the mean ofthe aligned training shapes.

In some examples, a search for landmarks from the mean shape aligned tothe position and size of the face determined by a global face detectoris started. Such a search then repeats the steps of suggesting atentative shape by adjusting the locations of shape points by templatematching of the image texture around each point and then conforming thetentative shape to a global shape model until convergence occurs. Insome systems, individual template matches are unreliable, and the shapemodel pools the results of the weak template matches to form a strongeroverall classifier. The entire search is repeated at each level in animage pyramid, from coarse to fine resolution.

A transformation system can capture an image or video stream on a clientdevice (e.g., the client device 102) and perform complex imagemanipulations locally on the client device 102 while maintaining asuitable user experience, computation time, and power consumption. Thecomplex image manipulations may include size and shape changes, emotiontransfers (e.g., changing a face from a frown to a smile), statetransfers (e.g., aging a subject, reducing apparent age, changinggender), style transfers, graphical element application, and any othersuitable image or video manipulation implemented by a convolutionalneural network that has been configured to execute efficiently on theclient device 102.

In some examples, a computer animation model to transform image data canbe used by a system where a user may capture an image or video stream ofthe user (e.g., a selfie) using a client device 102 having a neuralnetwork operating as part of a messaging client 104 operating on theclient device 102. The transformation system operating within themessaging client 104 determines the presence of a face within the imageor video stream and provides modification icons associated with acomputer animation model to transform image data, or the computeranimation model can be present as associated with an interface describedherein. The modification icons include changes that may be the basis formodifying the user's face within the image or video stream as part ofthe modification operation. Once a modification icon is selected, thetransform system initiates a process to convert the image of the user toreflect the selected modification icon (e.g., generate a smiling face onthe user). A modified image or video stream may be presented in agraphical user interface displayed on the client device 102 as soon asthe image or video stream is captured, and a specified modification isselected. The transformation system may implement a complexconvolutional neural network on a portion of the image or video streamto generate and apply the selected modification. That is, the user maycapture the image or video stream and be presented with a modifiedresult in real-time or near real-time once a modification icon has beenselected. Further, the modification may be persistent while the videostream is being captured, and the selected modification icon remainstoggled. Machine taught neural networks may be used to enable suchmodifications.

The graphical user interface, presenting the modification performed bythe transform system, may supply the user with additional interactionoptions. Such options may be based on the interface used to initiate thecontent capture and selection of a particular computer animation model(e.g., initiation from a content creator user interface). In variousexamples, a modification may be persistent after an initial selection ofa modification icon. The user may toggle the modification on or off bytapping or otherwise selecting the face being modified by thetransformation system and store it for later viewing or browse to otherareas of the imaging application. Where multiple faces are modified bythe transformation system, the user may toggle the modification on oroff globally by tapping or selecting a single face modified anddisplayed within a graphical user interface. In some examples,individual faces, among a group of multiple faces, may be individuallymodified, or such modifications may be individually toggled by tappingor selecting the individual face or a series of individual facesdisplayed within the graphical user interface.

A collection table 312 stores data regarding collections of messages andassociated image, video, or audio data, which are compiled into acollection (e.g., a story or a gallery). The creation of a particularcollection may be initiated by a particular user (e.g., each user forwhich a record is maintained in the entity table 308). A user may createa “personal story” in the form of a collection of content that has beencreated and sent/broadcast by that user. To this end, the user interfaceof the messaging client 104 may include an icon that is user-selectableto enable a sending user to add specific content to his or her personalstory.

Another type of story is a “live story,” which is a collection ofcontent from multiple users that is created manually, automatically, orusing a combination of manual and automatic techniques. For example, a“live story” may constitute a curated stream of user-submitted contentfrom varies locations and events. Users whose client devices havelocation services enabled and are at a common location event at aparticular time may, for example, be presented with an option, via auser interface of the messaging client 104, to contribute content to aparticular live story. The live story may be identified to the user bythe messaging client 104, based on his or her location. The end resultis a “live story” told from a community perspective.

Another type of story is a “location story,” which enables a user whoseclient device 102 is located within a specific geographic location(e.g., on a college or university campus) to contribute to a particularcollection. In some examples, a contribution to a location story mayrequire a second degree of authentication to verify that the end userbelongs to a specific organization or other entity (e.g., is a studenton the university campus)

Another type of story or collection is an “edition,” which may beprovided by a publisher and made accessible to multiple users (e.g.,subscribers of the publisher) who select to view the edition. Forexample, a publisher may provide (e.g., upload to the collectionmanagement system 204) editions on a daily, weekly, monthly, or otherperiodic basis, and/or provide editions on a limited basis (e.g., forspecial events, circumstances, etc.). A publisher may correspond to aperson (e.g., social media influencer, celebrity, etc.), company (e.g.,television or film company, publisher of a periodical, aproduct/services company, etc.), or other entity capable of creating andpublishing video content. With respect to viewing editions, themessaging client 104 may provide a user interface (e.g., a dedicatedtab) which allows an end user to discover, browse, sort, view and/orotherwise access editions made available by a variety of publishers.

An ad table 314 stores (e.g., in conjunction with the ad serving system214) data regarding ads, where each ad may include one or more of imagedata, video data, and/or audio data. An ad may be created by anadvertiser, which may correspond to a person, company, or other entityresponsible for creating ad content. In one or more embodiments, arecord for each advertiser is maintained in the entity table 308. The adtable 314 may further store information for tracking a particular ad orad set, where an ad set corresponds to a predefined grouping of ads(e.g., associated with an ad campaign). The ad table 314 may maintaincounts for ads served, as well as counts for clicks/impressionsassociated with ads (e.g., on a per ad or per ad set basis)

As mentioned above, the video table 316 stores video data that, in oneexample, is associated with messages for which records are maintainedwithin the message table 306. Similarly, the image table 318 storesimage data associated with messages for which message data is stored inthe entity table 308. The entity table 308 may associate variousaugmentations from the augmentation table 310 with various images andvideos stored in the image table 318 and the video table 316.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a structure of a message 400,according to some examples, generated by a messaging client 104 forcommunication to a further messaging client 104 or the messaging server118. The content of a particular message 400 is used to populate themessage table 306 stored within the database 126, accessible by themessaging server 118. Similarly, the content of a message 400 is storedin memory as “in-transit” or “in-flight” data of the client device 102or the application servers 114. A message 400 is shown to include thefollowing example components:

-   -   message identifier 402: a unique identifier that identifies the        message 400.    -   message text payload 404: text, to be generated by a user via a        user interface of the client device 102, and that is included in        the message 400.    -   message image payload 406: image data, captured by a camera        component of a client device 102 or retrieved from a memory        component of a client device 102, and that is included in the        message 400. Image data for a sent or received message 400 may        be stored in the image table 318.    -   message video payload 408: video data, captured by a camera        component or retrieved from a memory component of the client        device 102, and that is included in the message 400. Video data        for a sent or received message 400 may be stored in the video        table 316.    -   message audio payload 410: audio data, captured by a microphone        or retrieved from a memory component of the client device 102,        and that is included in the message 400.    -   message augmentation data 412: augmentation data (e.g., filters,        stickers, or other annotations or enhancements) that represents        augmentations to be applied to message image payload 406,        message video payload 408, or message audio payload 410 of the        message 400, Augmentation data for a sent or received message        400 may be stored in the augmentation table 310.    -   message duration parameter 414: parameter value indicating, in        seconds, the amount of time for which content of the message the        message image payload 406, message video payload 408, message        audio payload 410) is to be presented or made accessible to a        user via the messaging client 104.    -   message geolocation parameter 416: geolocation data (e.g.,        latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates) associated with the        content payload of the message. Multiple message geolocation        parameter 416 values may be included in the payload, each of        these parameter values being associated with respect to content        items included in the content (e.g., a specific image into        within the message image payload 406, or a specific video in the        message video payload 408).    -   message story identifier 418: identifier values identifying one        or more content collections (e.g., “stories” identified in the        collection table 312) with which a particular content item in        the message image payload 406 of the message 400 is associated.        For example, multiple images within the message image payload        406 may each be associated with multiple content collections        using identifier values.    -   message tag 420: each message 400 may be tagged with multiple        tags, each of which is indicative of the subject matter of        content included in the message payload. For example, where a        particular image included in the message image payload 406        depicts an animal (e.g., a lion), a tag value may be included        within the message tag 420 that is indicative of the relevant        animal. Tag values may be generated manually, based on user        input, or may be automatically generated using, for example,        image recognition.    -   message sender identifier 422: an identifier (e.g., a messaging        system identifier, email address, or device identifier)        indicative of a user of the Client device 102 on which the        message 400 was generated and from which the message 400 was        sent.

message receiver identifier 424: an identifier (e.g., a messaging systemidentifier, email address, or device identifier) indicative of a user ofthe client device 102 to which the message 400 is addressed.

The contents (e.g., values) of the various components of message 400 maybe pointers to locations in tables within which content data values arestored. For example, an image value in the message image payload 406 maybe a pointer to (or address of) a location within an image table 318.Similarly, values within the message video payload 408 may point to datastored within a video table 316, values stored within the messageaugmentations 412 may point to data stored in an augmentation table 310,values stored within the message story identifier 418 may point to datastored in a collection table 312, and values stored within the messagesender identifier 422 and the message receiver identifier 424 may pointto user records stored within an entity table 308.

FIG. 5 is an interaction diagram illustrating a process 500 forinserting ads into a video within a messaging system, in accordance withsome example embodiments. For explanatory purposes, the process 500 isprimarily described herein with reference to a publisher client 502 anda viewing client 504 (e.g., each of which may correspond to a respectivemessaging client 104 of FIG. 1 ), as well as the collection managementsystem 204 and the ad serving system 214 of FIG. 2 . However, one ormore blocks (or operations) of the process 500 may be performed by oneor more other components, and/or by other suitable devices. Further forexplanatory purposes, the blocks (or operations) of the process 500 aredescribed herein as occurring in serial, or linearly. However, multipleblocks (or operations) of the process 500 may occur in parallel orconcurrently. In addition, the blocks (or operations) of the process 500need not be performed in the order shown and/or one or more blocks (oroperations) of the process 500 need not be performed and/or can bereplaced by other operations. The process 500 may be terminated when itsoperations are completed. In addition, the process 500 may correspond toa method, a procedure, an algorithm, etc.

The publisher client 502 corresponds to an instance of the messagingclient 104 running on a respective client device 102 associated with apublisher. As noted above, a publisher may create and upload videos(e.g., editions) for sharing with multiple viewing users (e.g.,subscribers). A publisher may correspond to a person (e.g., social mediainfluencer, celebrity, etc.), company (e.g., television or film company,publisher of a periodical, a product/services company, etc.), and/orother entity capable of creating and publishing videos.

The viewing client 504 corresponds to an instance of the messagingclient 104 running on a respective client device 102 associated with aviewing user. As described herein, the viewing user corresponds to anend user who selects to view video(s) (e,g., editions) created by thepublisher of a video. For example, the viewing user may have subscribedto view videos created by the publisher. Alternatively, the viewing usermay be a non-subscriber, who selected to play a particular video (e.g.,edition) uploaded by the publisher to the collection management system204.

Thus, each of the publisher client 502 and the viewing client 504 may beassociated with a respective user of the messaging server system 108,with a respective user account on the messaging server system 108. Asnoted above, each user may be identified by the messaging server system108 based on a unique identifier (e.g., a messaging system identifier,email address and/or a device identifier) associated with the useraccount for that user.

As described herein, the video created by the publisher may be analyzedby the collection management system 204, to determine multiple shotboundaries, and some of the shot boundaries may be selected asbreakpoints for potential insertion of ads during playback of the video.The breakpoints may be selected based on a set of breakpoint tests(e.g., video fade-out, audio fade-out, transcript gaps, colordifferences, audio frequency differences, background audiocharacteristics, on-screen text, facial scans test, and/or machinelearning), The publisher may also select to prioritize breakpoints forpotential ad insertion. In addition, the publisher may select toremove/discard some of the automatically generated breakpoints.

When a breakpoint is reached during playback of the video on the viewingclient 504, an ad may be selected by the ad serving system 214 andserved to the viewing client 504. For example, server-side logic on thead serving system 214 may provide for filtering ads with certain typesof sensitive content based on similar or related types of sensitivecontent within the video. The viewing client 504 receives an ad selectedby the ad serving system 214 based on the filtering, and determineswhether to insert the ad at the breakpoint based on local, client-siderules. The client-side rules may prioritize inserting ads at prioritizedbreakpoints. In addition, the client-side rules may include timingrequirements, such as a minimum amount of playback time and/or a minimumnumber of media content items that have played since the last ad (e.g.,or since starting playback). Moreover, the client-side rules may providefurther filtering of ads, to disallow or otherwise reduce the likelihoodof inserting an ad with certain type(s) of content in between videocontent that is similar or otherwise related.

In the example of FIG. 5 , operations 506-520 may correspond to a firstphase and operations 522-536 may correspond to a second phase. The firstphase relates to creation and storing of a video, as well as settingbreakpoints for potential insertion of ads during playback of the video.The second phase relates to playback of the video, selecting ads basedon server-side filtering logic, and inserting ads during playback basedon the breakpoints and client-side rules for ad insertion. It may beunderstood that the second phase may occur shortly after the firstphase, or after an extended period of time after the first phase. Assuch, FIG. 5 depicts a dashed line separating the first phase and thesecond phase for illustrative purposes.

With respect to the first phase, the publisher client 502 creates avideo for uploading to the collection management system 204 (block 506).In one or more embodiments, the video corresponds to an edition createdby the publisher for sharing with multiple viewing users (e.g.,subscribers.). For example, the edition may correspond to one ofmultiple editions created by the publisher on a daily, weekly, monthly,or other periodic basis, and/or on a limited basis (e.g., for specialevents, circumstances, etc.).

The publisher client 502 sends the video (e.g., edition) to thecollection management system 204 (operation 508), which is configured tostore and manage the edition (block 510). As noted above, the collectionmanagement system 204 may store the edition in conjunction with thecollection table 312 and/or the video table 316. The collectionmanagement system 204 may provide for storing videos (e.g., editions) ina manner which provides an end user (e.g., viewing user) the ability tobrowse, search, preview and/or select editions with respect to a givenpublisher.

In one or more embodiments, the video is stored as a sequence of mediacontent items. As noted above, a media content item includes one or moretypes of content, such as image, video, text and/or audio content. Inaddition, each media content item may be configured to be displayed fora preset amount of time (e.g., 8 seconds each).

At block 512, the collection management system 204 sets breakpoints forthe video (block 512). In one or more embodiments, the collectionmanagement system 204 is configured to implement or otherwise accessalgorithm(s) for analyzing the video, in order to determine eligiblebreakpoints for potentially inserting ads during playback of the video.

To determine the breakpoints, the collection management system 204 mayinitially calculate a set of shot boundaries for the video, where a shotboundary separates adjacent shots of the video. A shot may correspond toa contiguous sequence of video frames that is free of cuts ortransitions. For example, a shot has image continuity across a sequenceof frames that runs for an uninterrupted period of time.

The collection management system 204 is configured to analyze the shotsof the video, for example, in order to logically select which shotboundaries should be designated as breakpoints. As described herein, abreakpoint is a position in the video at which an ad may potentially beinserted during video playback. For example, the collection managementsystem 204 may select breakpoints based on logic which is intended tomaximize the likelihood that a viewing user will continue watching thevideo after the ad. As discussed below with respect to FIG. 7 , thelogical selection of breakpoints may be based on a predefined set ofbreakpoints tests, for grouping shots into one or more segments/scenes.

As an alternative to logical selection of breakpoints based onbreakpoint tests, the collection management system 204 may be configuredto simply set a breakpoint at each shot boundary, with possibleexceptions. In one example exception, a breakpoint may not necessarilybe set after the first shot boundary. Alternatively or in addition, abreakpoint may not necessarily he set to a media content item precedinga subscription media content item (e.g., which includes a “subscription”button for subscribing to the publisher).

Thus, the collection management system 204 is capable of employingdifferent techniques/algorithms for detecting and setting breakpoints.In one or more embodiments, the technique/algorithm to be used isconfigurable, for example, by a system administrator. In this regard,the messaging client 104 may provide a user (e.g., system administrator)with interfaces for adjusting (e.g., tuning) how granular boundarydetection should be. For example, the interfaces may allow the user tochoose among one or more of logical selection of breakpoints (e.g., asdiscussed with respect to FIG. 7 below), and/or automatic selection ofbreakpoints between every fixed number of shots or media content items(e.g., barring the above-noted exceptions).

The collection management system 204 sends an indication of thebreakpoints to the publisher client (operation 514). For example, theindication of breakpoints may correspond to a list or other datastructure with index values of the shot boundaries at which an ad iseligible for insertion during playback of the video.

In one or more embodiments, the publisher client 502 is configured topresent a user interface for an end user (e.g., the publisher and/or anauthorized user associated with the publisher) to select one or more“priority breakpoints.” As described herein, the messaging system 100provides a user interface for the publisher and/or authorized user toview the video with eligible breakpoints, and to indicate a preferredposition (e.g., one or more of the shot boundaries) in the video forplacement of ads. Thus, the end user may designate one or morebreakpoints, selected from among the multiple breakpoints set by thecollection management system 204, as priority breakpoints for potentialad insertion (block 516). In this manner, the publisher may override theinitial designation of a breakpoint from “eligible” to “priority.” Inone or more embodiments, the publisher can also remove “eligible”breakpoints.

The publisher client 502 sends an indication of the priority breakpointsto the collection management system 204 (operation 518). For example,the indication of priority breakpoints may specify which of thebreakpoints within the video have been selected by the publisher aspriority breakpoints. In response to receiving the indication, thecollection management system 204 sets the priority breakpoints for thevideo (block 520).

Thus, regarding the first phase, the collection management system 204 isconfigured to store a video created by a publisher. The collectionmanagement system 204 is further configured to set breakpoints,including eligible breakpoints and priority breakpoints, for particularshot boundaries within the video.

With respect to operations 522-536 corresponding to the above-notedsecond phase, a viewing user chooses to playback the video, and themessaging system 100 provides for inserting ads into the video duringplayback. At block 522, the viewing client 504 receives user input toaccess the video. As noted above, the messaging client 104 may provide auser interface (e.g., a dedicated tab) which allows the viewing user tosearch, browse, sort, preview, view and/or access videos (e.g.,editions) made available by publisher(s).

The viewing client 504 sends, to the collection management system 204, arequest for the video (operation 524). In response, the collectionmanagement system 204 provides the viewing client 504 with access to thevideo (operation 526). The collection management system 204 provides themessaging client 104 with appropriate code and/or application interfacesfor presenting the video within the messaging client 104. In one or moreembodiments, the collection management system 204 may be configured toprovide the video content to the viewing client 504 on a per mediacontent item basis, per shot basis, per segment basis, and/or per videobasis (e.g., the entirety of the video).

At block 528, the viewing client 504 presents (e.g., plays back) thevideo up to the next breakpoint. Playback of the video may be initiatedfrom the beginning, for example, in a case where the user had notselected (e.g., via a video slider interface) a position in the videofrom which to start playback. In a case where the user did select aposition from which to start playback, playback is initiated from theselected position (e.g., the media content item corresponding to theselected position).

As noted above, the breakpoint may have been set after a particularsegment (e.g., grouping of shots based on breakpoint tests), or may havebeen set after every shot, barring exceptions. Upon reaching the nextbreakpoint, the viewing client 504 sends, to the ad serving system 214,a request for an ad (operation 530).

As noted above, the ad serving system 214 is configured to store ads,and to serve ads for inserting into breakpoints. In serving the ads, thead serving system 214 may implement or otherwise access algorithms(e.g., server-side algorithms) for filtering ads based on sensitivecontent that may appear in the video and/or in available ads (e.g., adinventory). For example, such filtering may prevent or otherwise reducethe likelihood of serving an ad with a specific type of sensitivecontent for a video with the same (or related) type of sensitivecontent.

In this regard, the messaging system 100 may be configured to tag videos(e.g., and/or the individual media content items of a video), and/or totag ads with content identifiers, where each content identifierindicates a different type of sensitive content. The different types ofsensitive content may include, but are not limited to: business trouble;controversial social issues; death and tragedy; drugs and alcohol;protests and political conflict; profanity and rough language;sensational and shocking; sexually suggestive; war, crime and conflict;and weapons and firearms. Thus, particular videos (or media contentitems) stored in the collection management system 204 and/or particularads stored in the ad serving system 214 may have been previously tagged(e.g., using metadata) with one or more content identifiers, eachindicating a respective type of sensitive content.

In one or more embodiments, the tagging of media content items, videos,and/or ads may be performed manually (e.g., where a human user views thecontent, and assigns corresponding tag(s)). Alternatively or inaddition, the tagging of media content items, videos, and/or ads may beperformed in an automated manner (e.g., by a machine learning model).For example, the machine learning model may have been trained withsamples of media content items, videos, and/or ads, together with theirrespective types of sensitive content. Following training, the machinelearning model may be configured to receive different media contentitems, videos, and/or ads as input, and to output indications (e.g.,content identifiers) of the respective type(s) of sensitive content.

Moreover, the messaging system 100 may predefine groupings (e.g., ormappings) of content identifiers that are deemed to be similar orotherwise related to one another. By way of non-limiting example, onegrouping of related types of sensitive content includes: death andtragedy; war, crime and conflict; and weapons and firearms.

Thus, the request for the ad at operation 530 may include any contentidentifiers with which the video was tagged. In one or more embodiments,this may include the union of content identifiers for all of the mediacontent items included within the video.

At block 532, the ad serving system 214 selects an ad by performingfiltering based on the content identifier(s) associated with the video,and on the content identifier(s) associated with available ads. Forexample, the video may be tagged with a first content identifier (e.g.,indicating death and tragedy). The ad serving system 214 determines,based on the groupings or mappings of related sensitive content types, aset of content identifiers associated with the first content identifier(e.g., death and tragedy; war, crime and conflict; and weapons andfirearms as discussed above).

The ad serving system 214 may implement or otherwise access variousalgorithms (e.g., server-side algorithms) for filtering ads in differentmanners. In a first example, the ad serving system 214 may filter out(e.g., block) individual ads, available in an ad inventory, that aretagged with a content identifier appearing within the set of contentidentifiers.

In a second example, the ad serving system 214 may filter out ads basedon ad sets, where an ad set corresponds to a predefined grouping of ads(e.g., associated with an ad campaign). In one or more embodiments, thead serving system 214 is configured to detect that a particular ad setincludes one or more ads (e.g., based on a union of all ads in the adset) tagged with a content identifier appearing within the set ofcontent identifiers. In response to such detection, the ad servingsystem 214 filters out all ads within the ad set.

In a third example, the ad serving system 214 may filter ads based on apass list (e.g., a list of allowed or preferred types of content). Inaddition to the above-mentioned types of sensitive content, themessaging system 100 may be configured to tag videos (e.g., or theindividual media content items of a video), and/or to tag ads withcontent identifiers indicating different types of positive (e.g., passlisted) content. Moreover, the messaging system 100 may predefinegroupings (e.g., or mappings) of content identifiers for allowing orotherwise preferring with respect to one another (e.g., video contentwith sensitive content relating to death and tragedy may allow orotherwise prefer positive ad content related to donations and charity).

It is noted that the above three examples are non-limiting, and thatother examples of filtering ad content may he used. In addition, it ispossible for the ad serving system 214 to employ a combination of theabove-mentioned filtering algorithms (as well as others) in order toserve an ad for potentially inserting into a breakpoint of the video.

Following selection of an at block 532, the ad serving system 214provides the ad to the viewing client 504 (operation 534). In responseto receiving the ad, the viewing client 504 presents the ad inconjunction with dynamic, client-side insertion rules, as discussedbelow with respect to FIG. 6 . Moreover, as shown by arrow element 538,the process 500 may continue repeating operations 528-536 for insertionof ads at subsequent breakpoints with respect to the remainder of thevideo.

FIG. 6 is flowchart illustrating a process 600 for inserting ads into avideo based on client-side insertion rules, in accordance with someexample embodiments. For explanatory purposes, the process 600 isprimarily described herein with reference to the messaging client 104 ofFIG. 1 . However, one or more blocks (or operations) of the process 600may be performed by one or more other components, and/or by othersuitable devices. Further for explanatory purposes, the blocks (oroperations) of the process 600 are described herein as occurring inserial, or linearly. However, multiple blocks (or operations) of theprocess 600 may occur in parallel or concurrently. In addition, theblocks (or operations) of the process 600 need not be performed in theorder shown and/or one or more blocks (or operations) of the process 600need not be performed and/or can be replaced by other operations. Theprocess 600 may be terminated when its operations are completed. Inaddition, the process 600 may correspond to a method, a procedure, analgorithm, etc.

As discussed above with respect to block 536 of FIG. 5 , the messagingclient 104 (e.g., corresponding to the viewing client 504) is configuredto insert ads received from the ad serving system 214 into a video basedon one or more dynamic, client-side insertion rules. In general, thedynamic, client-side insertion rules provide for inserting a received adat a given breakpoint:

IF

((video playback time since last ad ≥first time threshold AND breakpointis priority) OR

(video playback time since last ad ≥second time threshold OR count ofmedia content items played since last ad ≥count threshold)) AND

(current media content item is not sensitive) and (next media content isnot sensitive)

Thus, following start block 602, the messaging client 104 accesses thead provided by the ad serving system 214 (e.g., at operation 534 of FIG.5 ) with respect to a breakpoint in the video (block 604).

At decision block 606, the messaging client 104 determines whether theamount of video playback time since the last ad (or since starting videoif no ads have been presented), meets a first time threshold. Forexample, the first time threshold corresponds to a minimum amount ofplayback time (e.g., 20 seconds of playback time since the last ad orsince starting the video) required before inserting an ad with respectto the current breakpoint. If the first threshold time is not met, thead is not inserted into the breakpoint.

If the first time threshold is met, the messaging client 104 determineswhether either the current media content item or the next media contentitem (e.g., the content items adjacent to the breakpoint) includesensitive content (decision block 608). As noted above, the messagingsystem 100 is configured to tag media content items, as well as ads,with content identifiers corresponding to respective types of sensitivecontent. In one or more embodiments, the messaging client 104 mayprevent any ads from being presented in association with a breakpoint inwhich the current or next media content items are tagged with a contentidentifier corresponding to sensitive content.

Alternatively or in addition, the messaging client 104 may prevent adswith certain types of sensitive content from being presented directlybefore and/or after a media content item having the same (or related)type of sensitive content. In doing so, the messaging client 104 mayprovide for pass listing predefined types of sensitive contentassociated with an ad, while filtering out other predefined types ofsensitive content. For example, if an adjacent media content item istagged with death and tragedy, the messaging client 104 may pass list anad tagged with business trouble, while filtering out other types ofsensitive content.

Thus, if the current or next media content items include sensitivecontent (subject to the above-noted filtering out, and/or pass listing),the ad is not inserted into the breakpoint. Otherwise, the messagingclient 104 determines whether the breakpoint is a priority breakpoint(decision block 610), and if so, inserts the ad into the breakpoint(block 614). For example, inserting the ad corresponds with playing thead and resuming playback of the video after the ad.

If the breakpoint is not a priority breakpoint, the messaging client 104determines whether either a second time threshold is met or a countthreshold is met (decision block 612). For example, the second timethreshold corresponds to a minimum amount of playback time (e.g., 40seconds of playback time since the last ad or since starting the video)required for a non-priority breakpoint. Moreover, the count thresholdcorresponds to a minimum the number of media content items (e.g., 7media content items) required to play for a non-priority breakpoint. Ifneither the second time threshold nor the count threshold are not met,the ad is not inserted into the breakpoint. Otherwise, the ad isinserted (block 614).

As noted above with respect to block 532 of FIG. 5 , the ad servingsystem 214 may have previously filtered ads based on server-side logic.This may correspond to a first stage of filtering, and the client-siderules may correspond to a second stage of filtering. In this regard, thegranularity with which filtering occurs on the server side and/or theclient side may be user-adjustable, for example, by a systemadministrator.

For example, the above-noted types of sensitive content with respect tothe above-noted pass listing and/or filtering out may be user-adjustable(e.g, by a system administrator). In this manner, the systemadministrator may provide configuration data with respect to filteringby ad content.

Moreover, one or more of the first time threshold, the second timethreshold and/or the count threshold may be an adjustable setting whichcan be set by a user (e.g., a system administrator). In this manner, thesystem administrator may provide configuration data with respect to thefrequency of ad insertion. In one or more embodiments, and withappropriate user permissions (e.g., viewing user opt-in), the frequencyof ad insertion may be based on profile data associated with the viewinguser (e.g., age, geolocation, engagement with ads/content based onviewing history, etc.).

Following the insertion of an ad, the messaging client 104 at block 616provides for resetting the timer(s) and count(s). For example, themessaging client 104 resets timer(s) that track the video playback timesince the last ad, and resets count(s) that track the count of mediacontent items played since last ad. The process 600 ends at end block618.

FIG. 7 is flowchart illustrating a process 700 for setting eligiblebreakpoints for a video, in accordance with some example embodiments.For explanatory purposes, the process 700 is primarily described hereinwith reference to the collection management system 204 of FIG. 2 ,However, one or more blocks (or operations) of the process 700 may beperformed by one or more other components, and/or by other suitabledevices. Further for explanatory purposes, the blocks (or operations) ofthe process 700 are described herein as occurring in serial, orlinearly. However, multiple blocks (or operations) of the process 700may occur in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the blocks (oroperations) of the process 700 need not be performed in the order shownand/or one or more blocks (or operations) of the process 700 need not beperformed and/or can be replaced by other operations. The process 700may be terminated when its operations are completed. In addition, theprocess 700 may correspond to a method, a procedure, an algorithm, etc.

As discussed above with respect to block 512 of FIG. 5 , the collectionmanagement system 204 is configured to implement or otherwise accessalgorithms for analyzing the shots of a video, in order to logicallyselect which shot boundaries should be designated as breakpoints. Thelogical selection of breakpoints may be based on a predefined set ofbreakpoints tests, for grouping shots into one or more segments.

In one or more embodiments, a segment corresponds to a scene, forexample, a section of a video (e.g., movie) in a single location andcontinuous time made up of a series of shots, which are each a set ofcontiguous frames from individual cameras from varying angles. Bygrouping shots into segments/scenes, and by setting a breakpoint afterevery segment/scene (as opposed to after every shot boundary), it ispossible to increase the likelihood that a viewing user will continuewatching the video after the ad.

Following start block 702, the collection management system 204 accessesa video (block 704). For example, the video is accessed based onreceiving the video per operation 508 and storing the video per block510 of FIG. 5 . The collection management system 204 determines shotboundaries for the video (block 706).

To determine shot boundaries, the collection management system 204analyzes the video from beginning to end (e.g., from the first frame tothe last frame), to detect which contiguous sets of frames are betweenrespective video transitions. For example, each shot has imagecontinuity across a sequence of frames that runs for an uninterruptedperiod of time without presenting one or more of: a jump cut (e.g., whenthere is no transition at all between one video clip and the next), ablank frame or other type of frame transition (e.g., a cut that combinestwo frames together), a fade (where a frame slowly turns black), adissolve (where a frame slowly disappears and another adjacent frameslowly appears), a wipe (where a frame slowly slides off the screen andan adjacent frame slides into the screen), and so forth between thegiven sequence of frames. In one or more embodiments, the collectionmanagement system 204 may employ frame-pairwise pHash thresholding todetect shot boundaries.

As noted above, a video is composed of multiple media content items,each of which may be configured to be displayed for a preset amount oftime (e.g., 8 seconds). In one or more embodiments, the collectionmanagement system 204 may set a given shot boundary to coincide with arespective media content item boundary (e.g., the boundary between twoadjacent media content items). Alternatively or in addition, it ispossible for the collection management system 204 to set a given shotboundary within the media content item, for example, in a case where atransition appears in the middle of a media content item.

With respect to operations 708-716, the collection management system 204is configured to perform a set of breakpoint tests for each shotboundary, to determine which shot boundaries to designate as abreakpoint. For example, a breakpoint logically separates segments(e.g., or scenes).

Thus, at block 708, the collection management system 204 accesses a nextshot (e.g., beginning with the first shot). At block 710, the collectionmanagement system 204 performs the set of breakpoint tests with respectto the accessed shot, and calculates a combined score of the breakpointtests for the corresponding shot boundary. Each breakpoint test withinthe set of breakpoint tests returns a respective score. The scoreindicates whether the shot boundary should be set as a breakpoint forthat breakpoint test.

For example, each breakpoint test may be configured to return a score ofeither 0 (e.g., indicating that the shot does not correspond to abreakpoint) or 1 (e.g., indicating that the shot corresponds to abreakpoint). Alternatively, each breakpoint test may be configured withrespective weighted scores, such that some breakpoint test(s) areprioritized or otherwise biased relative to other breakpoint test(s).

The collection management system 204 at block 710 further calculates acombined score (e.g., total score) based on the individual breakpointscores for the current breakpoint. In one or more embodiments, thecombined score is calculated as the linear combination of the individualbreakpoint scores. As noted, the individual scores can be equallyweighted (e.g., with a score of 0 or 1 being available for eachbreakpoint test), or can be weighted differently for each breakpointtest.

In one or more embodiments, the set of breakpoint tests includes one ofmore of the following: a video fade-out test, an audio fade-out test, amean audio volume test, a transcript gap test, a color histogram test, adominant color test, an audio frequency histogram test, a backgroundaudio test, an on-screen text test, a facial scan test, and/or a machinelearning-based test.

The video fade-out test is configured to detect a video fade-out betweenadjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary. For example, intraditional, linear television content, commercial breaks (e.g.,corresponding to breakpoints) may be incorporated directly into theproduction process. One indication of a commercial break is when thescreen fades to black. The collection management system 204 mayimplement or otherwise access algorithm(s) for detecting a fade-out.Alternatively or in addition, the collection management system 204 maybe configured to detect a black frame at the end of a shot (e.g., as aproxy to detecting a fade-out).

The audio fade-out test is configured to detect an audio fade-outbetween adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary. For example,an audio volume fade-out (e.g., when background music fades out) mayindicate a break in the action. The collection management system 204 mayimplement or otherwise access algorithm(s) for detecting audio fade-out.For example, the collection management system 204 may at least in partcompare the average volume (e.g., in loudness unit full scale, or LUFS)of the last portion (e.g., second) of one shot to the first portion ofthe following shot. If the difference is above a threshold, this mightindicate a scene/segment change (e.g., breakpoint).

The mean audio volume test is configured to detect loud audio (e.g.,corresponding to an action shot which should not be interrupted by anad). For a given shot boundary, a window of audio of a fixed durationaround that shot boundary (e.g., 100 iris on either side of the shotboundary) is considered. The average loudness of the audio is computedin that excerpt. Shot boundaries that have audio that is on average veryloud tend not to make for good ad insertion points, since the loud audiois typically indicative of some action happening at the shot boundary,and that action should not be interrupted by an ad.

The transcript gap test is configured to detect a pause in speechbetween adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary, based ontimestamps of a transcript for the adjacent shots. For example,scene/segment changes may often be associated with pauses in speech. Thecollection management system 204 may implement or otherwise accessspeech-to-text algorithm(s) to generate a transcript with timestamps forthe video (e.g., including the shots adjacent to the shot boundary). Athreshold gap between utterances around the shot boundary may indicate abreakpoint with respect to the transcript gap test.

The color histogram test is configured to detect a threshold differencein color content between adjacent shots corresponding to the shotboundary, based on respective color histograms for the adjacent shots.For example, a scene/segment change may occur when the on-camera actionshifts from one physical location to another. In another example, ashift from live-action camera footage to a graphic:/titles shot mayindicate a scene/segment change. In each of these examples, the typicalcolor content of the frames in the previous and succeeding shots may besignificantly different (e.g., it is noted that the pHash algorithm usedfor shot detection may discard color information). The collectionmanagement system 204 may be configured to implement or otherwise accessalgorithm(s) to detect adjacent shots with a threshold difference incolor content. For example, the collection management system 204 may (1)build a single color histogram for all the frames of each shot, (2)implement a distance metric on these histograms (e.g., earth mover'sdistance), and (3) use thresholding to identify pairs of shots withespecially distant histograms. In this example, each bin in thehistogram may describe the number of red, green or blue pixels of acertain range of values (e.g., 0-32, 33-64, . . . , 223-255).

The dominant color text is configured to detect a dominant color withrespect to video frames. For a given shot boundary, the pair of videoframes on either side of the boundary is considered. For each frame ofvideo, the dominant color of the image is calculated, which is a singlecolor that best reflects the overall color of the image. For example,the dominant color is calculated using known methods. The distancebetween dominant colors of the frames on either side of the shotboundary is indicative of the similarity between the two adjacent shots.For example, if the dominant colors are very distant, then the shots maybe from different scenes. However, if the dominant colors are very near,then the shots may be of the same scene. By considering positive andnegative examples, a dominant color distance threshold may be selectedthat distinguishes the shot boundaries likely to be scene boundariesfrom those that are more likely to separate shots within a scene.

The audio frequency histogram test is configured to detect a thresholddifference in audio content between adjacent shots corresponding to theshot boundary, based on respective audio frequency histograms for theadjacent shots. For example, significant changes in the audio contentbetween adjacent shots may indicate a scene/segment change. Similar tothe color histograms noted above, the collection management system 204may implement or otherwise access algorithm(s) to employ histograms andthresholding with respect to audio frequency histograms. In thisexample, each “bin” in the histogram may describe the fraction of timein a given shot in which a range of frequencies occur (e.g., 16-32 Hz,32-512 Hz, . . . , 16-32 kHz) multiplied by the average volume level ofthat range of frequencies.

The background audio test is configured to group one or more adjacentshots in the video based on background audio shared by the one or moreadjacent shots. For example, background audio may indicate ascene/segment change (e.g., music is added or removed, ambient soundchanges, and/or different frequencies of background white noise fromrecording in different locations become more prominent). The collectionmanagement system 204 may implement or otherwise access algorithm(s) toextract background audio (e.g., by first extracting the spoken audio,then inverting the resulting waveform and combining it with the sourceaudio to remove the spoken audio). Alternatively or in addition, thecollection management system 204 may implement or otherwise accessalgorithm(s) to remove vocals by assuming they are mixed to the centeraudio channel (e.g., removing everything that appears equally in boththe left and right channel). The collection management system 204 maydetermine the loudness and most prominent frequencies of the audioduring the time of a given shot, and compute a distance calculation ofthe audio in neighboring shots to group shots together intoscenes/segments.

The on-screen text (caption) test is configured to detect a thresholddifference in displayed text between adjacent shots corresponding to theshot boundary. For example, the presence of on-screen text may indicatea scene/segment change. The collection management system 204 mayimplement or otherwise access algorithm(s) to detect graphicalintermissions (e.g., associated with on-screen text) based onthresholding to detect scene/segment changes (e.g., corresponding to abreakpoint).

The facial scan test is configured to detect a threshold difference infaces recognized between adjacent shots corresponding to the shotboundary. For example, a change in faces depicted in video (e.g.,indicating different people as opposed to different views of the samepeople) may indicate scene/segment changes. The collection managementsystem 204 may implement or otherwise access algorithm(s) to detect aset of individuals in video (e.g., via their faces), and to determine ifthe set of individuals has changed. A threshold change compositionand/or number of individuals may indicate a scene/segment change. In oneor more embodiments, the collection management system 204 does notnecessarily identify individuals (e.g., based on comparing detectedfaces against a database storing face and/or other identifyinginformation), but rather anonymously detects different faces locally atthe client device 102 for purposes of determining if faces changebetween shots.

The machine learning-based test is configured to provide one or moreshots corresponding to the shot boundary as input to a machine learningmodel. The machine learning model is configured to output a scoreindicating that the shot boundary corresponds to a breakpoint (e.g.,screen/segment change) based on the input of the one or more shots. Forexample, the machine learning model may be trained with existingtelevision scripts with additional natural language processing (NLP)annotations, such as sentiment analysis, emotional analysis,punctuation, timestamps, keywords (e.g., “up next”, “stick around”),etc. along with the already existing ad placements in those scripts. Thecollection management system 204 may be configured to implement orotherwise access the machine learning model with respect to determiningnew ad placements (e.g., breakpoints) in scripts from video(s).

As noted above with respect to block 706, the collection managementsystem 204 is configured to determine shot boundaries (e.g., based onframe-pairwise pHash thresholding) for the video. In some cases, it ispossible for detected shot boundaries to include false positives (e.g.,where too many shots boundaries instead of too few are detected). Forexample, a p1-lash threshold may initially be set to be biased towardsfalse positives (e.g., to address editing challenges). A false positivemay not be a suitable scene boundary since it corresponds to the middleof a true shot. Hence, in one or more embodiments, the collectionmanagement system 204 may increase the likelihood that a shot boundaryis a suitable scene boundary, by increasing the threshold at which apair of frame pHashes triggers as a shot boundary. For example, thethreshold may be a setting that is adjustable by a system administrator.Moreover, the levels by which the threshold may be increased are set soas to minimize risk of a false negative (e.g., where shot boundary isomitted from consideration entirely).

As noted above, the collection management system 204 calculates acombined (e.g., total) score based on the individual breakpoint testscores. The collection management system 204 determines whether thecombined score meets a threshold value (decision block 712). In a casewhere the threshold value is met, the collection management system 204sets the shot boundary as a breakpoint (block 714). Otherwise, thecollection management system 204 continues to the next shot in the video(per block 708) until all shots in the video have been evaluated (basedon decision block 716). The process then ends at end block 718.

FIGS. 8A-8B and 9A-9B illustrate examples of setting breakpoints for avideo 802. For example, the video may correspond to an edition whichincludes a sequence of multiple media content items. Each multimediacontent item is configured to be displayed for a present amount of time(e.g., 8 seconds). As noted above, the video may have been submitted tothe collection management system 204 by a publisher via the publisherclient 502.

FIG. 8A illustrates an example of the video 802 with plural mediacontent items, in accordance with some example embodiments. In theexample of FIG. 8A, the media content items are labeled as “content item# 1” to “content item 413,” for illustrative purposes.

As depicted in the example of FIG. 8A, the video 802 indicates that an“ad plays after” content item # 4 and content item # 12. For example,this spacing of ads may be based on a predefined configuration forinserting ads (e.g., where an ad is predefined to be inserted after thefourth media content item and after the twelfth media content item forvideos).

FIG. 8B illustrates an example of setting eligible and prioritybreakpoints for the video 802, in accordance with some exampleembodiments. In the example of FIG. 8B, the collection management system204 sets a breakpoint after every media content item, with the exceptionof the first content item # 1, and with the exception of the mediacontent item preceding a subscription content item (not shown). Thus, inthe example of FIG. 8B, breakpoints 804-806, 810-822 and 826 correspondto eligible breakpoints (depicted as vertical bars in solid outline). Inaddition, breakpoints 808 and 824 correspond to priority breakpoints(depicted as vertical bars in dotted outline).

As noted above, priority breakpoints may be designed by the publisher(or authorized user) to indicate a preferred position in the video forplacement of ads. However, it is possible for priority breakpoints to beset without being explicitly designated by the publisher. For example,in FIG. 8B, the priority breakpoint 808 and the priority breakpoint 824may be set based on the predefined configuration for spacing ads (e.g.,after the fourth and twelfth media content items) discussed above withrespect to FIG. 8A. Such setting of priority breakpoints (e.g., whichare not explicitly set by a publisher) may be based on configurationsettings of the messaging system 100 that allow the collectionmanagement system 204 to set/adjust priority breakpoints. In the exampleof FIG. 8B, all remaining breakpoints 804-806, 810-822 and 826 are setas eligible breakpoints.

While the example of FIG. 8B shows the setting of breakpoints afterevery media content item (e.g., barring exceptions), it is noted thatbreakpoints may be set in different manners as described above withrespect to FIGS. 5 to 7 . For example, breakpoints may be set betweenall shot boundaries es., barring exceptions, and where some shotboundaries may be within a media content item), and/or may be set basedon logical selection of breakpoints (e.g., scene/segment changes) usinga set of breakpoint tests.

FIG. 9A illustrates an example of setting media content items assensitive, in accordance with some example embodiments. As noted above,the messaging client 104 in some embodiments is configured to prevent orotherwise reduce the likelihood of inserting ads for a breakpoint inwhich the current or next media content items are tagged with a contentidentifier corresponding to sensitive content. As shown in the exampleof FIG. 9A, content item # 1 to content item # 4 are tagged as sensitive(e.g., depicted as sensitive tags 902). As such, the messaging client104 may prevent/reduce the likelihood of inserting an ad followingcontent item # 4, as discussed below with respect to FIG. 9B.

FIG. 9B illustrates an example of adjusting breakpoints for the video802 having media content items set to sensitive, in accordance with someexample embodiments. As noted above, content item 44 is tagged withsensitive content. Thus, the priority breakpoint 808 of FIG. 9A may bereplaced with an eligible breakpoint 904, The priority breakpoint may beshifted, for example, by replacing the eligible breakpoint 810 of FIG.9A with the priority breakpoint 906 shown in FIG. 9B. Such shifting maybe based on configuration settings of the messaging system 100 thatallow the collection management system 204 (as opposed to the publisher)to set/adjust priority breakpoints.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a process 1000 for settingbreakpoints in a video, in accordance with some example embodiments. Forexplanatory purposes, the process 1000 is primarily described hereinwith reference to the collection management system 204 of FIG. 2 .However, one or more blocks (or operations) of the process 1000 may beperformed by one or more other components, and/or by other suitabledevices. Further for explanatory purposes, the blocks (or operations) ofthe process 1000 are described herein as occurring in serial, orlinearly. However, multiple blocks (or operations) of the process 1000may occur in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the blocks (oroperations) of the process 1000 need not be performed in the order shownand/or one or more blocks (or operations) of the process 1000 need notbe performed and/or can be replaced by other operations. The process1000 may be terminated when its operations are completed. In addition,the process 1000 may correspond to a method, a procedure, an algorithm,etc.

The collection management system 204 accesses a video (block 1002). Thecollection management system 204 determines plural shot boundaries forthe video, each shot boundary defining a shot corresponding to acontiguous sequence of video frames that is free of cuts or transitions(block 1004). In one example, determining the shot boundaries may bebased on frame-pair wise pHash thresholding which is adjustable by asystem administrator for limiting at least one of false positives orfalse negatives.

For each shot boundary of the plural shot boundaries, the collectionmanagement system 204: performs a set of breakpoint tests on the shotboundary, each breakpoint test configured to return a respective scoreindicating whether the shot boundary corresponds to a breakpoint forpotential insertion of an ad during playback of the video (block 1006),calculates a combined score for the shot boundary based on combining theeach of the respective scores (block 1008), and sets, in a case wherethe combined score meets a threshold value, the shot boundary as thebreakpoint (block 1010).

The set of breakpoint tests may include a video fade-out test configuredto detect a video fade-out between adjacent shots corresponding to theshot boundary, and to return a score indicating that the shot boundarycorresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting. The set ofbreakpoint tests may include an audio fade-out test configured to detectan audio fade-out between adjacent shots corresponding to the shotboundary, and to return a score indicating that the shot boundarycorresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting.

The set of breakpoint tests may include a transcript gap test configuredto detect a pause in speech between adjacent shots corresponding to theshot boundary, based on timestamps of a transcript for the adjacentshots, and to return a score indicating that the shot boundarycorresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting. The set ofbreakpoint tests may include a color histogram test configured to detecta threshold difference in color content between adjacent shotscorresponding to the shot boundary, based on respective color histogramsfor the adjacent shots, and to return a score indicating that the shotboundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting.

The set of breakpoint tests may include an audio frequency histogramtest configured to detect a threshold difference in audio contentbetween adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary, based onrespective audio frequency histograms for the adjacent shots, and toreturn a score indicating that the shot boundary corresponds to thebreakpoint based on the detecting. The set of breakpoint tests mayinclude a background audio test configured to group one or more adjacentshots in the video based on background audio shared by the one or moreadjacent shots, and to return a score indicating that the shot boundarycorresponds to the breakpoint based on the grouping.

The set of breakpoint tests may include an on-screen text testconfigured to detect a threshold difference in displayed text betweenadjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary, and to return a scoreindicating that the shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based onthe detecting. The set of breakpoint tests may include a facial scantest configured to detect a threshold difference in faces recognizedbetween adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary (e.g., facialrecognition indicating different people, as opposed to different viewsof the same people), and to return a score indicating that the shotboundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting.

The set of breakpoint tests may include a machine learning-based testconfigured to provide one or more shots corresponding to the shotboundary as input to a machine learning model. The machine learningmodel is configured to output a score indicating that the shot boundarycorresponds to the breakpoint based on the input of the one or moreshots.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating an access-limiting process1100, in terms of which access to content (e.g., an ephemeral message1102, and associated multimedia payload of data) or a content collection(e.g., an ephemeral message group 1104) may be time-limited (e.g., madeephemeral).

An ephemeral message 1102 is shown to be associated with a messageduration parameter 1106, the value of which determines an amount of timethat the ephemeral message 1102 will be displayed to a receiving user ofthe ephemeral message 1102 by the messaging client 104. In one example,an ephemeral message 1102 is viewable by a receiving user for up to amaximum of 10 seconds, depending on the amount of time that the sendinguser specifies using the message duration parameter 1106.

The message duration parameter 1106 and the message receiver identifier424 are shown to be inputs to a message timer 1110, which is responsiblefor determining the amount of time that the ephemeral message 1102 isshown to a particular receiving user identified by the message receiveridentifier 424. In particular, the ephemeral message 1102 will only beshown to the relevant receiving user for a time period determined by thevalue of the message duration parameter 1106. The message timer 1110 isshown to provide output to a more generalized ephemeral timer system202, which is responsible for the overall timing of display of content(e.g., an ephemeral message 1102) to a receiving user.

The ephemeral message 1102 is shown in FIG. 11 to be included within anephemeral message group 1104 (e.g., a collection of messages in apersonal story, or an event story). The ephemeral message group 1104 hasan associated group duration parameter 1108, a value of which determinesa time duration for which the ephemeral message group 1104 is presentedand accessible to users of the messaging system 100. The group durationparameter 1108, for example, may be the duration of a music concert,where the ephemeral message group 1104 is a collection of contentpertaining to that concert. Alternatively, a user (either the owninguser or a curator user) may specify the value for the group durationparameter 1108 when performing the setup and creation of the ephemeralmessage group 1104.

Additionally, each ephemeral message 1102 within the ephemeral messagegroup 1104 has an associated group participation parameter 1112, a valueof which determines the duration of time for which the ephemeral message1102 will be accessible within the context of the ephemeral messagegroup 1104. Accordingly, a particular ephemeral message group 1104 may“expire” and become inaccessible within the context of the ephemeralmessage group 1104, prior to the ephemeral message group 1104 itselfexpiring in terms of the group duration parameter 1108. The groupduration parameter 1108, group participation parameter 1112, and messagereceiver identifier 424 each provide input to a group timer 1114, whichoperationally determines, firstly, whether a particular ephemeralmessage 1102 of the ephemeral message group 1104 will be displayed to aparticular receiving user and, if so, for how long. Note that theephemeral message group 1104 is also aware of the identity of theparticular receiving user as a result of the message receiver identifier424.

Accordingly, the group timer 1114 operationally controls the overalllifespan of an associated ephemeral message group 1104, as well as anindividual ephemeral message 1102 included in the ephemeral messagegroup 1104. In one example, each and every ephemeral message 1102 withinthe ephemeral message group 1104 remains viewable and accessible for atime period specified by the group duration parameter 1108. In a furtherexample, a certain ephemeral message 1102 may expire, within the contextof ephemeral message group 1104, based on a group participationparameter 1112. Note that a message duration parameter 1106 may stilldetermine the duration of time for which a particular ephemeral message1102 is displayed to a receiving user, even within the context of theephemeral message group 1104. Accordingly, the message durationparameter 1106 determines the duration of time that a particularephemeral message 1102 is displayed to a receiving user, regardless ofwhether the receiving user is viewing that ephemeral message 1102 insideor outside the context of an ephemeral message group 1104.

The ephemeral timer system 202 may furthermore operationally remove aparticular ephemeral message 1102. from the ephemeral message group 1104based on a determination that it has exceeded an associated groupparticipation parameter 1112. For example, when a sending user hasestablished a group participation parameter 1112 of 24 hours fromposting, the ephemeral timer system 202 will remove the relevantephemeral message 1102 from the ephemeral message group 1104 after thespecified 24 hours. The ephemeral timer system 202 also operates toremove an ephemeral message group 1104 when either the groupparticipation parameter 1112 for each and every ephemeral message 1102within the ephemeral message group 1104 has expired, or when theephemeral message group 1104 itself has expired in terms of the groupduration parameter 1108.

In certain use cases, a creator of a particular ephemeral message group1104 may specify an indefinite group duration parameter 1108. In thiscase, the expiration of the group participation parameter 1112 for thelast remaining ephemeral message 1102 within the ephemeral message group1104 will determine when the ephemeral message group 1104 itselfexpires. In this case, a new ephemeral message 1102, added to theephemeral message group 1104, with a new group participation parameter1112, effectively extends the life of an ephemeral message group 1104 toequal the value of the group participation parameter 1112.

Responsive to the ephemeral timer system 202 determining that anephemeral message group 1104 has expired (e.g., is no longeraccessible), the ephemeral timer system 202 communicates with themessaging system 100 (and, for example, specifically the messagingclient 104) to cause an indicium (e.g., an icon) associated with therelevant ephemeral message group 1104 to no longer be displayed within auser interface of the messaging client 104. Similarly, when theephemeral timer system 202 determines that the message durationparameter 1106 for a particular ephemeral message 1102 has expired, theephemeral timer system 202 causes the messaging client 104 to no longerdisplay an indicium (e.g., an icon or textual identification) associatedwith the ephemeral message 1102.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic representation of the machine 1200 withinwhich instructions 1210 (e.g., software, a program, an application, anapplet, an app, or other executable code) for causing the machine 1200to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein may beexecuted. For example, the instructions 1210 may cause the machine 1200to execute any one or more of the methods described herein. Theinstructions 1210 transform the general, non-programmed machine 1200into a particular machine 1200 programmed to carry out the described andillustrated functions in the manner described. The machine 1200 mayoperate as a standalone device or may be coupled (e.g., networked) toother machines. In a networked deployment, the machine 1200 may operatein the capacity of a server machine or a client machine in aserver-client network environment, or as a peer machine in apeer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine 1200 maycomprise, but not be limited to, a server computer, a client computer, apersonal computer (PC), a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a netbook,a set-top box (STB), a personal digital assistant (PDA), anentertainment media system, a cellular telephone, a smartphone, a mobiledevice, a wearable device (e.g., a smart watch), a smart home device(e.g., a smart appliance), other smart devices, a web appliance, anetwork router, a network switch, a network bridge, or any machinecapable of executing the instructions 1210, sequentially or otherwise,that specify actions to be taken by the machine 1200. Further, whileonly a single machine 1200 is illustrated, the term “machine” shall alsobe taken to include a collection of machines that individually orjointly execute the instructions 1210 to perform any one or more of themethodologies discussed herein. The machine 1200, for example, maycomprise the client device 102 or any one of a number of server devicesforming part of the messaging server system 108. In some examples, themachine 1200 may also comprise both client and server systems, withcertain operations of a particular method or algorithm being performedon the server-side and with certain operations of the particular methodor algorithm being performed on the client-side.

The machine 1200 may include processors 1204, memory 1206, andinput/output I/O components 1202, which may be configured to communicatewith each other via a bus 1240. In an example, the processors 1204(e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Reduced Instruction SetComputing (RISC) Processor, a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC)Processor, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a Digital Signal Processor(DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), aRadio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RTIC), another processor, or anysuitable combination thereof) may include, for example, a processor 1208and a processor 1212 that execute the instructions 1210. The term“processor” is intended to include multi-core processors that maycomprise two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as“cores”) that may execute instructions contemporaneously. Although FIG.12 shows multiple processors 1204, the machine 1200 may include a singleprocessor with a single-core, a single processor with multiple cores amulti-core processor), multiple processors with a single core, multipleprocessors with multiples cores, or any combination thereof.

The memory 1206 includes a main memory 1214, a static memory 1216, and astorage unit 1218, both accessible to the processors 1204 via the bus1240. The main memory 1206, the static memory 1216, and storage unit1218 store the instructions 1210 embodying any one or more of themethodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 1210 mayalso reside, completely or partially, within the main memory 1214,within the static memory 1216, within machine-readable medium 1220within the storage unit 1218, within at least one of the processors 1204(e.g., within the Processor's cache memory), or any suitable combinationthereof, during execution thereof by the machine 1200.

The I/O components 1202 may include a wide variety of components toreceive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information,exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I/Ocomponents 1202 that are included in a particular machine will depend onthe type of machine. For example, portable machines such as mobilephones may include a touch input device or other such input mechanisms,while a headless server machine will likely not include such a touchinput device. It will be appreciated that the I/O components 1202 mayinclude many other components that are not shown in FIG. 12 . In variousexamples, the I/O components 1202 may include user output components1226 and user input components 1228. The user output components 1226 mayinclude visual components (e.g., a display such as a plasma displaypanel (PDP), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a, liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), a projector, or a cathode ray tube (CRT)), acousticcomponents (e.g., speakers), haptic components (e.g., a vibratory motor,resistance mechanisms), other signal generators, and so forth. The userinput components 1228 may include alphanumeric input components (e.g., akeyboard, a touch screen configured to receive alphanumeric input, aphoto-optical. keyboard, or other alphanumeric input components),point-based input components (e.g., a mouse, a touchpad, a trackball, ajoystick, a motion sensor, or another pointing instrument), tactileinput components (e.g., a physical button, a touch screen that provideslocation and force of touches or touch gestures, or other tactile inputcomponents), audio input components (e.g., a microphone), and the like.

In further examples, the I/O components 1202 may include biometriccomponents 1230, motion components 1232, environmental components 1234,or position components 1236, among a wide array of other components. Forexample, the biometric components 1230 include components to detectexpressions (e.g., hand expressions, facial expressions, vocalexpressions, body gestures, or eye-tracking), measure biosignals (e.g.,blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, perspiration, or brainwaves), identify a person (e.g., voice identification, retinalidentification, facial identification, fingerprint identification, orelectroencephalogram-based identification), and the like. The motioncomponents 1232 include acceleration sensor components (e.g.,accelerometer), gravitation sensor components, rotation sensorcomponents (e.g., gyroscope).

The environmental components 1234 include, for example, one or cameras(with still image/photograph and video capabilities), illuminationsensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components(e.g., one or more thermometers that detect ambient temperature),humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g.,barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphonesthat detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g.,infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors (e.g., gasdetection sensors to detection concentrations of hazardous gases forsafety or to measure pollutants in the atmosphere), or other componentsthat may provide indications, measurements, or signals corresponding toa surrounding physical environment.

With respect to cameras, the client device 102 may have a camera systemcomprising, for example, front cameras on a front surface of the clientdevice 102 and rear cameras on a rear surface of the client device 102.The front cameras may, for example, be used to capture still images andvideo of a user of the client device 102 (e.g., “selfies”), which maythen be augmented with augmentation data (e.g., filters) describedabove. The rear cameras may, for example, be used to capture stillimages and videos in a more traditional camera mode, with these imagessimilarly being augmented with augmentation data. In addition to frontand rear cameras, the client device 102 may also include a 360° camerafor capturing 360° photographs and videos.

Further, the camera system of a client device 102 may include dual rearcameras (e.g., a primary camera as well as a depth-sensing camera), oreven triple, quad or penta rear camera configurations on the front andrear sides of the client device 102. These multiple cameras systems mayinclude a wide camera, an ultra-wide camera, a telephoto camera, a macrocamera and a depth sensor, for example.

The position components 1236 include location sensor components (e.g., aUPS receiver component), altitude sensor components (e.g., altimeters orbarometers that detect air pressure from which altitude may be derived),orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and the like.

Communication may he implemented using a wide variety of technologies.The I/O components 1202 further include communication components 1238operable to couple the machine 1200 to a network 1222 or devices 1224via respective coupling or connections. For example, the communicationcomponents 1238 may include a network interface Component or anothersuitable device to interface with the network 1222. In further examples,the communication components 1238 may include wired communicationcomponents, wireless communication components, cellular communicationcomponents, Near Field Communication (NFC) components, Bluetooth®components (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components, and othercommunication components to provide communication via other modalities.The devices 1224 may be another machine or any of a wide variety ofperipheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via a USB).

Moreover, the communication components 1238 may detect identifiers orinclude components operable to detect identifiers. For example, thecommunication components 1238 may include Radio Frequency identification(RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components,optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detectone-dimensional bar codes such as Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code,multi-dimensional bar codes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Azteccode, Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2Dbar code, and other optical codes), or acoustic detection components(e.g., microphones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, avariety of information may be derived via the communication components1238, such as location via Internet Protocol (IP) geolocation, locationvia Wi-Fi® signal triangulation, location via detecting an NIT beaconsignal that may indicate a particular location, and so forth.

The various memories (e.g., main memory 1214, static memory 1216, andmemory of the processors 1204) and storage unit 1218 may store one ormore sets of instructions and data. structures (e.g., software)embodying or used by any one or more of the methodologies or functionsdescribed herein. These instructions (e.g., the instructions 1210), whenexecuted by processors 1204, cause various operations to implement thedisclosed examples.

The instructions 1210 may be transmitted or received over the network1222, using a transmission medium, via a network interface device (e.g.,a network interface component included in the communication components1238) and using any one of several well-known transfer protocols (e.g.,hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP)). Similarly, the instructions 1210may be transmitted or received using a transmission medium via acoupling (e.g., a peer-to-peer coupling) to the devices 1224.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram 1300 illustrating a software architecture1304, which can be installed on any one or more of the devices describedherein. The software architecture 1304 is supported by hardware such asa machine 1302 that includes processors 1320, memory 1326, and I/Ocomponents 1338. In this example, the software architecture 1304 can beconceptualized as a stack of layers, where each layer provides aparticular functionality. The software architecture 1304 includes layerssuch as an operating system 1312, libraries 1310, frameworks 1308, andapplications 1306. Operationally, the applications 1306 invoke API calls1350 through the software stack and receive messages 1352 in response tothe API calls 1350.

The operating system 1312 manages hardware resources and provides commonservices. The operating system 1312. includes, for example, a kernel1314, services 1316, and drivers 1322. The kernel 1314 acts as anabstraction layer between the hardware and the other software layers.For example, the kernel 1314 provides memory management, processormanagement (e.g., scheduling), component management, networking, andsecurity settings, among other functionality. The services 1316 canprovide other common services for the other software layers. The drivers1322 are responsible for controlling or interfacing with the underlyinghardware. For instance, the drivers 1322 can include display drivers,camera drivers, BLUETOOTH® or BLUETOOTH® Low Energy drivers, flashmemory drivers, serial communication drivers (e.g., USB drivers), WI-FI®drivers, audio drivers, power management drivers, and so forth.

The libraries 1310 provide a common low-level infrastructure used by theapplications 1306. The libraries 1310 can include system libraries 1318(e.g., C standard library) that provide functions such as memoryallocation functions, string manipulation functions, mathematicfunctions, and the like. In addition, the libraries 1310 can include APIlibraries 1324 such as media libraries (e.g., libraries to supportpresentation and manipulation of various media formats such as MovingPicture Experts Group-4 (MPEG4), Advanced Video Coding (H.264 or AVC),Moving Picture Experts Group Layer-3 (MP3), Advanced Audio Coding (AAC),Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) audio codec, Joint Photographic Experts Group(JPEG or JPG), or Portable Network Graphics (PNG)), graphics libraries(e.g., an OpenGL framework used to render in two dimensions (2D) andthree dimensions (3D) in a graphic content on a display), databaselibraries (e.g., SQLite to provide various relational databasefunctions), web libraries (e.g., WebKit to provide web browsingfunctionality), and the like. The libraries 1310 can also include a widevariety of other libraries 1328 to provide many other APIs to theapplications 1306.

The frameworks 1308 provide a common high-level infrastructure that isused by the applications 1306. For example, the frameworks 1308 providevarious graphical user interface (GUI) functions, high-level resourcemanagement, and high-level location services. The frameworks 1308 canprovide a broad spectrum of other APIs that can be used by theapplications 1306, some of which may be specific to a particularoperating system or platform.

In an example, the applications 1306 may include a home application1336, a contacts application 1330, a browser application 1332, a bookreader application 1334, a location application 1342, a mediaapplication 1344, a messaging application 1346, a game application 1348and a broad assortment of other applications such as a third-partyapplication 1340. The applications 1306 are programs that executefunctions defined in the programs. Various programming languages can beemployed to create one or more of the applications 1306, structured in avariety of manners, such as object-oriented programming languages (e.g.,Objective-C, Java, or C++) or procedural programming languages (e.g., Cor assembly language). In a specific example, the third-partyapplication 1340 (e.g., an application developed using the ANDROID™ orIOS™ software development kit (SDK) by an entity other than the vendorof the particular platform) may be mobile software running on a mobileoperating system such as IOS™, ANDROID™, WINDOWS® Phone, or anothermobile operating system. In this example, the third-party application1340 can invoke the API calls 1350 provided by the operating system 1312to facilitate functionality described herein,

Glossary

“Carrier signal” refers to any intangible medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding, or carrying instructions for execution by themachine, and includes digital or analog communications signals or otherintangible media to facilitate communication of such instructions.Instructions may be transmitted or received over a network using atransmission medium via a network interface device.

“Client device” refers to any machine that interfaces to acommunications network to obtain resources from one or more serversystems or other client devices. A client device may be, but is notlimited to, a mobile phone, desktop computer, laptop, portable digitalassistants (PDAs), smartphones, tablets, ultrabooks, netbooks, laptops,multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based or programmable consumerelectronics, game consoles, set-top boxes, or any other communicationdevice that a user may use to access a network.

“Communication network” refers to one or more portions of a network thatmay be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual privatenetwork (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a widearea network (WAN), a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), the Internet, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the PublicSwitched Telephone Network (PSTN), a plain old telephone service (POTS)network, a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi®network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more suchnetworks. For example, a network or a portion of a network may include awireless or cellular network and the coupling may be a Code DivisionMultiple Access (CDMA) connection, a Global System for Mobilecommunications (GSM) connection, or other types of cellular or wirelesscoupling. In this example, the coupling may implement any of a varietyof types of data transfer technology, such as Single Carrier RadioTransmission Technology (1×RTT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO)technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology, EnhancedData rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology, third GenerationPartnership Project (3GPP) including 3G, fourth generation wireless (4G)networks, Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High SpeedPacket Access (HSPA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, others defined by variousstandard-setting organizations, other long-range protocols, or otherdata transfer technology.

“Component” refers to a device, physical entity, or logic havingboundaries defined by function or subroutine calls, branch points, APIs,or other technologies that provide for the partitioning ormodularization of particular processing or control functions. Componentsmay be combined via their interfaces with other components to carry outa machine process. A component may be a packaged functional hardwareunit designed for use with other components and a part of a program thatusually performs a particular function of related functions. Componentsmay constitute either software components (e.g., code embodied on amachine-readable medium) or hardware components, A “hardware component”is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and may beconfigured or arranged in a certain physical manner. In variousexamples, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computersystem, a client computer system, or a server computer system) or one ormore hardware components of a computer system (e.g., a processor or agroup of processors) may be configured by software (e.g., an applicationor application portion) as a hardware component that operates to performcertain operations as described herein. A hardware component may also beimplemented mechanically, electronically, or any suitable combinationthereof. For example, a hardware component may include dedicatedcircuitry or logic that is permanently configured to perform certainoperations. A hardware component may be a special-purpose processor,such as a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or an applicationspecific integrated circuit (ASIC). A hardware component may alsoinclude programmable logic or circuitry that is temporarily configuredby software to perform certain operations. For example, a hardwarecomponent may include software executed by a general-purpose processoror other programmable processor. Once configured by such software,hardware components become specific machines (or specific components ofa machine) uniquely tailored to perform the configured functions and areno longer general-purpose processors. It will be appreciated that thedecision to implement a hardware component mechanically, in dedicatedand permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configuredcircuitry (e.g., configured by software), may be driven by cost and timeconsiderations. Accordingly, the phrase “hardware component”(or“hardware-implemented component”) should be understood to encompass atangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed,permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured(e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or to perform certainoperations described herein. Considering examples in which hardwarecomponents are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of thehardware components need not be configured or instantiated at any oneinstance in time. For example, where a hardware component comprises ageneral-purpose processor configured by software to become aspecial-purpose processor, the general-purpose processor may beconfigured as respectively different special-purpose processors (e.g.,comprising different hardware components) at different times. Softwareaccordingly configures a particular processor or processors, forexample, to constitute a particular hardware component at one instanceof time and to constitute a different hardware component at a differentinstance of time. Hardware components can provide information to, andreceive information from, other hardware components. Accordingly, thedescribed hardware components may be regarded as being communicativelycoupled. Where multiple hardware components exist contemporaneously,communications may be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., overappropriate circuits and buses) between or among two or more of thehardware components. In examples in which multiple hardware componentsare configured or instantiated at different times, communicationsbetween such hardware components may be achieved, for example, throughthe storage and retrieval of information in memory structures to whichthe multiple hardware components have access. For example, one hardwarecomponent may perform an operation and store the output of thatoperation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. Afurther hardware component may then, at a later time, access the memorydevice to retrieve and process the stored output. Hardware componentsmay also initiate communications with input or output devices, and canoperate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information). The variousoperations of example methods described herein may be performed, atleast partially, by one or more processors that are temporarilyconfigured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured to perform therelevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, suchprocessors may constitute processor-implemented components that operateto perform one or more operations or functions described herein. As usedherein, “processor-implemented component” refers to a hardware componentimplemented using one or more processors. Similarly, the methodsdescribed herein may be at least partially processor-implemented, with aparticular processor or processors being an example of hardware. Forexample, at least some of the operations of a method may be performed byone or more processors or processor-implemented components. Moreover,the one or more processors may also operate to support performance ofthe relevant operations in a “cloud computing” environment or as a“software as a service” (SaaS). For example, at least some of theoperations may be performed by a group of computers (as examples ofmachines including processors), with these operations being accessiblevia a network (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriateinterfaces (e.g., an API). The performance of certain of the operationsmay be distributed among the processors, not only residing within asingle machine, but deployed across a number of machines. In someexamples, the processors or processor-implemented components may belocated in a single geographic location (e.g., within a homeenvironment, an office environment, or a server farm). In otherexamples, the processors or processor-implemented components may bedistributed across a number of geographic locations.

“Computer-readable storage medium” refers to both machine-storage mediaand transmission media. Thus, the terms include both storagedevices/media and carrier waves modulated data signals. The terms“machine-readable medium,” “computer-readable medium” and“device-readable medium” mean the same thing and may be usedinterchangeably in this disclosure.

“Ephemeral message” refers to a message that is accessible for atime-limited duration. An ephemeral message may be a text, an image, avideo and the like. The access time for the ephemeral message may be setby the message sender. Alternatively, the access time may be a defaultsetting or a setting specified by the recipient. Regardless of thesetting technique, the message is transitory.

“Machine storage medium” refers to a single or multiple storage devicesand media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and associatedcaches and servers) that store executable instructions, routines anddata. The term shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limitedto, solid-state memories, and optical and magnetic media, includingmemory internal or external to processors. Specific examples ofmachine-storage media, computer-storage media and device-storage mediainclude non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductormemory devices, e.g., erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), FPGA, andflash memory devices; magnetic disks such as internal hard disks andremovable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks Theterms “machine-storage medium,” “device-storage medium,”“computer-storage medium” mean the same thing and may be usedinterchangeably in this disclosure. The terms “machine-storage media,”“computer-storage media,” and “device-storage media” specificallyexclude carrier waves, modulated data signals, and other such media, atleast some of which are covered under the term “signal medium.”

“Non-transitory computer-readable storage medium” refers to a tangiblemedium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying theinstructions for execution by a machine.

“Signal medium” refers to any intangible medium that is capable ofstoring, encoding, or carrying the instructions for execution by amachine and includes digital or analog communications signals or otherintangible media to facilitate communication of software or data. Theterm “signal medium” shall be taken to include any form of a modulateddata signal, carrier wave, and so forth. The term “modulated datasignal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics setor changed in such a matter as to encode information in the signal. Theterms “transmission medium” and “signal medium” mean the same thing andmay be used interchangeably in this disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, comprising: accessing a video;determining plural shot boundaries for the video, each shot boundarydefining a shot corresponding to a contiguous sequence of video framesthat is free of cuts or transitions; and for each shot boundary of theplural shot boundaries, performing a set of breakpoint tests on the shotboundary, each breakpoint test configured to return a respective scoreindicating whether the shot boundary corresponds to a breakpoint forpotential insertion of an ad during playback of the video, calculating acombined score for the shot boundary based on combining the each of therespective scores, and setting, in a case where the combined score meetsa threshold value, the shot boundary as the breakpoint, wherein the setof breakpoint tests includes a background audio test configured to:group one or more adjacent shots in the video based on background audio,in which speech has been removed, shared by the one or more adjacentshots, and return a score indicating that the shot boundary correspondsto the breakpoint based on the grouping.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the set of breakpoint tests includes a video fade- out testconfigured to: detect a video fade-out between adjacent shotscorresponding to the shot boundary; and return a score indicating thatthe shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of breakpoint tests includesan audio fade-out test configured to: detect an audio fade-out betweenadjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary; and return a scoreindicating that the shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based onthe detecting.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of breakpointtests includes a transcript gap test configured to: detect a pause inspeech between adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary, basedon timestamps of a transcript for the adjacent shots; and return a scoreindicating that the shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based onthe detecting.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of breakpointtests includes a color histogram test configured to: detect a thresholddifference in color content between adjacent shots corresponding to theshot boundary, based on respective color histograms for the adjacentshots; and return a score indicating that the shot boundary correspondsto the breakpoint based on the detecting.
 6. The method of claim 1,wherein the set of breakpoint tests includes an audio frequencyhistogram test configured to: detect a threshold difference in audiocontent between adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary, basedon respective audio frequency histograms for the adjacent shots; andreturn a score indicating that the shot boundary corresponds to thebreakpoint based on the detecting.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein theset of breakpoint tests includes an on-screen text test configured to:detect a threshold difference in displayed text between adjacent shotscorresponding to the shot boundary; and return a score indicating thatthe shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting.8. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of breakpoint tests includes afacial scan test configured to: detect a threshold difference in facesrecognized between adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary;and return a score indicating that the shot boundary corresponds to thebreakpoint based on the detecting.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein theset of breakpoint tests includes a machine learning-based testconfigured to: provide one or more shots corresponding to the shotboundary as input to a machine learning model, the machine learningmodel being configured to output a score indicating that the shotboundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on the input of the one ormore shots.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the shotboundaries is based on frame-pairwise pHash thresholding which isadjustable by a system administrator for limiting at least one of falsepositives or false negatives.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein thebackground audio is generated by extracting spoken audio from sourceaudio, inverting a resulting waveform of the extracted spoken audio, andcombining the inverted resulting waveform with the source audio.
 12. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the background audio is generated by removingaudio mixed to a center audio channel from source audio.
 13. A devicecomprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, whenexecuted by the processor, cause the processor to: access a video;determine plural shot boundaries for the video, each shot boundarydefining a shot corresponding to a contiguous sequence of video framesthat is free of cuts or transitions; and for each shot boundary of theplural shot boundaries, perform a set of breakpoint tests on the shotboundary, each breakpoint test configured to return a respective scoreindicating whether the shot boundary corresponds to a breakpoint forpotential insertion of an ad during playback of the video, calculate acombined score for the shot boundary based on combining the each of therespective scores, and set, in a case where the combined score meets athreshold value, the shot boundary as the breakpoint, wherein the set ofbreakpoint tests includes a background audio test configured to: groupone or more adjacent shots in the video based on background audio, inwhich speech has been removed, shared by the one or more adjacent shots,and return a score indicating that the shot boundary corresponds to thebreakpoint based on the grouping.
 14. The device of claim 13, whereinthe set of breakpoint tests includes a video fade-out test configuredto: detect a video fade-out between adjacent shots corresponding to theshot boundary; and return a score indicating that the shot boundarycorresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting.
 15. The device ofclaim 13, wherein the set of breakpoint tests includes an audio fade-outtest configured to: detect an audio fade-out between adjacent shotscorresponding to the shot boundary; and return a score indicating thatthe shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on the detecting.16. The device of claim 13, wherein the set of breakpoint tests includesa transcript gap test configured to: detect a pause in speech betweenadjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary, based on timestampsof a transcript for the adjacent shots; and return a score indicatingthat the shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on thedetecting.
 17. The device of claim 13, wherein the set of breakpointtests includes a color histogram test configured to: detect a thresholddifference in color content between adjacent shots corresponding to theshot boundary, based on respective color histograms for the adjacentshots; and return a score indicating that the shot boundary correspondsto the breakpoint based on the detecting.
 18. The device of claim 13,wherein the set of breakpoint tests includes an audio frequencyhistogram test configured to: detect a threshold difference in audiocontent between adjacent shots corresponding to the shot boundary, basedon respective audio frequency histograms for the adjacent shots; andreturn a score indicating that the shot boundary corresponds to thebreakpoint based on the detecting.
 19. The device of claim 13, whereinthe set of breakpoint tests includes an on-screen text test configuredto: detect a threshold difference in displayed text between adjacentshots corresponding to the shot boundary; and return a score indicatingthat the shot boundary corresponds to the breakpoint based on thedetecting.
 20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, thecomputer- readable storage medium including instructions that whenexecuted by a computer, cause the computer to: access a video; determineplural shot boundaries for the video, each shot boundary defining a shotcorresponding to a contiguous sequence of video frames that is free ofcuts or transitions; for each shot boundary of the plural shotboundaries, perform a set of breakpoint tests on the shot boundary, eachbreakpoint test configured to return a respective score indicatingwhether the shot boundary corresponds to a breakpoint for potentialinsertion of an ad during playback of the video, calculate a combinedscore for the shot boundary based on combining the each of therespective scores, and set, in a case where the combined score meets athreshold value, the shot boundary as the breakpoint, wherein the set ofbreakpoint tests includes a background audio test configured to: groupone or more adjacent shots in the video based on background audio, inwhich speech has been removed, shared by the one or more adjacent shots,and return a score indicating that the shot boundary corresponds to thebreakpoint based on the grouping.